A Way Out
by aquickdisguise
Summary: Tea's all alone, and down on her luck. With nowhere else to go, she has no choice but to put her trust in at least one of the Kaiba brothers to help her. But do their plans for salvation mirror her own? More info inside. Rating may changer later on...
1. Unfortunate Timing

Hey guys! First Anime fic- eep! 

Do forgive my startlingly poor ability to actually complete a story. Sadly, I have no guarantees on this one, but as always, I will attempt to get this done. I think I might try for a much more simple plot and try and limit my outline to below ten chapters. That way, when I get the urge to write later chapters first, I don't have to worry about filler chaps. Aah, sigh.

Anyway, why Yu Gi Oh as my first anime category? Well, I felt the need to tribute seeing as I'm using screenshots of the TV show to practise drawing anime style.

Concrit welcome (and encouraged!)

**Disclaimer**: in the words of Yoda…Yu Gi Oh own I do not.

Oh. Some ages:

Yugi: 17 Tea: 17 Joey: 18 Tristan: 18

Serenity: 16 Seto: 19 Mokuba: 15 Mai: 22

Now, Tristan is older 'cause he drives a motorbike, and I'm not sure what the age limit is on that, but 18's safe. Seto's nineteen cause… well come on, he's a CEO. I'm pretty sure you can't be a business owner unless you're over 18, so that figures. As for Joey? Hmmm… I'm not sure to be honest. Just fits I guess. Pairings, you ask? Why, that would be telling!

Also, on the writing style: I've tried to write the first chapter in the same way a Yu Gi Oh episode is played out. I hope that in later chapters the atmosphere really changes- one of my main objectives of this fic is to work on some styles of writing. Reviews are always handy when setting out on something new!! (hint, hint)

Tea shivered against the cold, and pulled her shawl tighter. She was determined to get to the bottom of this. A week since he had promised- and failed- to meet her in celebration of her audition for Julliard School of Dance in New York, and Yugi hadn't returned her calls or been around when she had called at the game shop. It was almost as if he was deliberately ignoring her.

So she was here, at ten o'clock at night following her night shift at work, outside Yugi's place, despite the chill of the night. She was determined to figure out what had happened to her friend, so she stepped under the shelter of the doorway, and pounded on the door.

She slammed her fist against the wood three times before a very sleepy Solomon Motou answered the door. However, once his eyes focused on Tea, he seemed to jolt awake.

"Mr Motou, I know it's late, b-"

"Tea! Surely you must have news!"

Tea frowned. "News?" She cocked her head to one side in confusion. "I'm here to see Yugi. Is he in?"

Solomon's face fell, and deep lines of worry etched themselves into his forehead. "He's not been home for three days, Tea. I hoped he had been with you, or Joey or Tristan. Have you no idea where he is?"

Tea's eyes widened. "He's missing?!" Immediately her bitter thoughts towards her friend evaporated, replaced by a burning apprehension. "We've got to find him!"

Solomon shook his head. "I have a game shop to run, Tea. I cannot simply leave for your whirlwind adventures- I have bills to pay. I'm sure my grandson would much appreciate still having a home when he returns." He sighed deeply, and looked up at the brown haired girl in front of him. "Listen, Tea. Take Joey and Tristan with you. I'm sure they'll help you in your search for Yugi, but for now, go _home_. It's late, and you've had a full school day plus a work shift. You look tired."

It was true. Tea's mind may have been running a marathon, but she could feel the fatigue in her legs. Seeing the sense in Mr Motou's suggestion, she nodded wearily. "That sounds like a good idea. Good night, Mr Motou."

Solomon nodded. "Good night, Tea. Safe journey home."

And with those parting words, Tea adjusted her shawl and stepped out into the cold again. It was unusual that the weather be so drastic in its changes. She had found that the while the days had been wonderfully bright and warm these past few months, the nights would drop to ridiculous temperatures.

It must have taken her longer than usual to get home, as it was gone eleven when she unlocked the door to her house. Too tired to climb the stairs, she peeled off her jacket and slumped onto the couch, asleep within minutes.

---

She awoke on Saturday morning to bright sunlight streaming through her lounge room window. She smiled warmly, and stretched, catlike on the couch. A cold shiver passed through her body, and she sat up, realising for the first time that she was still wearing yesterday's clothes and, with a sickening wrench in her gut, remembered that Yugi was missing. She slid off the sofa and stood up, wiping her hair from her face. She needed a plan- a routine to set her mind back on course.

_Shower._ She thought. _New Clothes. Find Joey and Tristan._

And with those basic thoughts, she climbed the stairs to her bathroom and ran the hot water.

---

She emerged from the bathroom feeling warm and refreshed, a white towel wrapped around her as she shuffled into her own room. Her parents were away for the weekend, leaving the house to their daughter. She went immediately to her closet and randomly pulled a shirt and a pair of shorts from the depths. She pulled them on and took one deep breath. She knew what came next. Next she would find Joey and Tristan- and together they would find Yugi. A small smile flashed on her face. With her friends around, surely nothing could go wrong…

…right?

---

Joey's place was closest, so it was there Tea head first. She darted through the front door, grasping her bag as she ran. She jogged the full distance to Joey's house, envisioning the look on her friend's face as his concern for Yugi surfaced, only to be replaced by a grim determination. He would call Tristan, and the brunette would be around in seconds. And that vision would inspire them to come up with a fantastic plan. She just _knew_ it.

She arrived at her Brooklyn friend's apartment in seconds, and buzzed the intercom. No one answered. She frowned and tried again. 

Still no answer.

Tea rolled her eyes. Just like Joey to stay in bed all day. She pulled out her phone and dialled his number, her fingers moving with practised ease over the keypad. She hardly needed to look at the numbers any more, so often had she called her friends. On the fifth ring however, the dial tone switched to voicemail.

"Very funny, Joey, now pick up!" Tea demanded. Silence greeted her from the other end of the phone. She sighed, and continued with her message. "Fine. If this is a joke, it's pretty lame. Yugi's missing and I'm outside your house so could you please let me up? I'll hang around for ten minutes and then I'm going to Tristan's place…" She paused one more time to make sure she really was talking to a voice mail recorder, and not subject to an elaborate prank, "…okay, well, if you get this, call me back. Bye!"

Tea hung up and set her back against the wall, sliding down to a sitting position. Hopefully, Joey would come down soon- she didn't much like the idea of spending a full day waiting around; she was eager to begin her search for her missing friend.

Ten minutes moved painfully slowly, and Tea found herself watching the second hand of her watch click into place before she leapt to her feet. She gave Joey's building one last look, and deciding that he must have gone out, set off for Tristan's.

But much to Tea's consternation, it seemed Tristan was absent as well. His house was deserted, and Tea couldn't get through to anyone on her phone. She sighed. Trust the boys to go out together on the one day she needed them most. Unless, she realised, with a slight pang of sadness, they had known Yugi was missing for longer than she, and had set off to find him without her. She sighed morosely and checked her watch. It was three o'clock. That gave her just enough time to get into town and have a quick search before it got dark. She headed immediately for the bus station, and took the ten minute trip into the centre of town.

She searched the fast food restaurants and all the game shops first. Failing to find anyone there, she tried the museum and library (just in case one of them had been struck by an unusual desire for learning), but they too were empty of Joey, Tristan or Yugi. Hours passed, and try as Tea might, she just could not find anyone. Not even Duke, Serenity or Mai seemed to be around- and she had no idea where Bakura was these days… not that she'd trust him with that ring around his neck. So it was with a heavy heart that she turned for home, heading to the bus station thoroughly confused and upset.

She mulled over the possibilities in her mind… why would Yugi leave and not tell anyone where he was going, or when he would be back? Did it have something to do with his millennium puzzle? Perhaps he was undertaking another journey to uncover his destiny. Well, right now, Tea was having some very unsympathetic thoughts towards Yugi's destiny. She found herself getting slowly moodier as she made her way to the bus stop.

By half past six, the sun was beginning to set, and the sky took on a wonderfully warm orange glow. In all honesty, the weather had been bright and balmy- the kind of weather Tea loved. In fact, had she not been filled with worry and confusion, she may well have enjoyed herself very much. As it stood however, she was extremely tired and fed up. She sighed and laid out along the bench at the stop. She would be waiting at least another twenty minutes, and she was determined to come up with some decent ideas as to where her friends could be. Of course, she mused, there was always the possibility that Yugi, Joey and Tristan had been kidnapped, although she couldn't for the life of her think who would want all three of them- save for Marik. She didn't trust him as far as she could throw him- and she doubted she'd be able to pick the Egyptian up at all…

Of course! Marik had always wanted to get his paws on Yugi's puzzle, and seeing as Joey and Tristan had both done equal parts in defending their friend, both on the duelling arena and off, it stood to reason that they wouldn't escape the blonde's bad books. It would fit that Marik wanted to punish them… he seemed the perfect type to dish out revenge, and- much worse- the perfect type to know exactly how to do it.

Just as that terrible thought entered her mind, a shadow fell over her face, and Tea opened her eyes. A silhouette of a very tall and muscular man was standing over her, and with her last few thoughts evaporating from her mind, her first reaction was to throw a well aimed punch into the general vicinity of the person's nose. As her fist connected, and her opponent reeled, she leapt off the bench and sprinted away, all thoughts of the bus vanishing.

"Get back here, you little creep!" A gruff voice chased her down the street, and she put on a burst of speed, a small gasp of apprehension escaping her. "No way you punch someone in the face and get away with it! I'll teach you to whack strangers!"

It seemed that however much of a head start Tea had gained, she lost it very quickly. Their short chase ended when a heavy hand grabbed Tea by the shoulder, yanked her to a standstill, causing her to loose her breath sharply, and swirled her around. She had only a second to let out a small yelp of fear before the other hand came heavily into contact with her head, and everything went dark.

Woo- Chapter one!

Hopefully it gets a bit more interesting from here-on-out.

I may even write the second chapter now, seeing as I've got myself on a roll here and I'm determined to get my ideas on paper. Well, on a word document anyway.

Review please?


	2. Setting up Base Camp

And here's Chapter 2! 

**Disclaimer**: Yu Gi Oh is definitely not mine. (gr)

Concrit welcome (and encouraged!)

Tea felt the rain first. It splashed onto her nose and she found herself wrinkling said body part to relieve the tickly sensation. She opened her eyes to find that she was laying in a grassy verge along side the road, and that she was in pain. She groaned and pushed herself onto one arm. Her head was throbbing and her wrist cracked ominously as she put weight on it. She slumped back to the ground, taking a few deep breaths before attempting to sit up again. Once upright, she instinctively reached for her bag. Her friends may be missing, but Yugi's grandfather could certainly help her. She paused, realising her hands were still searching for the material of her bag, and then stopped. Her bag was gone too! She'd never been mugged before, but something about the seriousness of her situation- and the irony of its timing- irritated her more than anything else. She made an effort to stand upright, and, after a few attempts, managed it, although her ankle was weak, and she put little weight on it.

She wasn't far from the bus stop, she remembered, but it was unlikely that a bus was travelling her way at this time of night. She checked her wrist watch, which seemed to still be working, despite the crack it now sported, and sighed. Half past eleven. Just perfect. She stumbled towards the only adult she knew who could help her- Solomon Motou. Surely Yugi's grandpa wouldn't turn her out in such a state. At least at the game shop, she would be able to bind her wrist and ankle, which would give her the support she needed to get home. And with those determined thoughts in mind, she set off at a steady limp towards the game shop.

---

She arrived at close to midnight, and her ankle was thoroughly broken by now. She had stumbled on some wet grass on her way, and the resounding crack and sharp spasm of agony had told her that. But she needed to get to a safe place for the night, and the Game Shop was as good as any. She knocked tentatively on the door, and then, getting no answer, pounded with her good wrist on the wall.

She was about to call out when she noticed the door wasn't fully closed, rather wedged shut with something. She pushed the door open, and gasped.

The shop was in ruins. The shelves were broken, merchandise was scattered on the floor- and there was no sign of Solomon. Tea hobbled into the house and looked around nervously, calling for Mr Motou.

After a comprehensive search of the house, it was clear that Solomon had joined Joey, Tristan and Yugi on the missing persons list. Tea slumped in a heap behind the counter, and felt tears begin to prick at her eyes. Everyone was gone- and it was evident from the carnage that Solomon hadn't left without a fight. And if the boys hadn't managed to resist, how long would it be before she was taken too? That put going home out of the question- or going to any the home of any of her friends.

No, she determined, wiping her eyes. They wouldn't take her. She had to rescue her friends, and there was still one more person she could turn to. Unlikely as it was that he would agree to assist her, she wouldn't know unless she tried- and Tea prided herself on the ability to remain optimistic even in the toughest of situations. After all, she'd spent all her life telling her friends they could overcome the odds- what kept her from doing the same?

With a new resolve, she looked around for a first aid kit. If she was going out for another walk, she would need to bind her ankle. She found one beneath the counter, hidden away, and in no time she had a support sock and a bandage wrapped tightly around her ankle. She tried a few apprehensive steps, and found that she could ignore the pain if she trod very lightly and slowly.

Her walk was going to take a long time.

---

Seto Kaiba was typing furiously on his keyboard, determined to finish the draft program sequence for his latest holographic technologies. His eyes glanced swiftly to the large grandfather clock which occupied a corner of his office and noted that the time was twenty to two in the morning. The nine-teen year old CEO took another lengthy sip of coffee from the mug that sat on his desk next to his laptop, and shook himself in order to stay awake. For a moment, he contemplated standing up to stretch his legs, but another line of input surfaced in his mind, and instead he resumed typing.

He was almost done when his intercom buzzed. He answered it lazily, assuming it was just his little brother Mokuba asking for a nightcap of hot chocolate. "Yes, what do you want?"

"Kaiba? Seto Kaiba?"

A woman's voice!? Seto looked down at the intercom and realised that the message was not coming from his little brother's bedroom, as he had expected, but rather from the front gate. Kaiba leaned back in his chair and caught a glimpse of a young brunette girl standing in the pouring rain awkwardly at his front gate.

"Speaking. Who is this?"

The rush of rain from the other end of the speaker made it hard for him to hear her answer. "Kaiba it's me! Tea! Look, I need your help real bad." There was a pause as the emotion rose in her voice. "Everyone else has gone missing, and I can't go home, and I need somewhere to…" She trailed off, feeling ridiculous. Kaiba wasn't about to open his home to the lost and weary. "I shouldn't have come here-" She mused aloud, more to herself than Kaiba.

He took the opportunity to disappoint her anyway.

"No, you shouldn't have. What makes you think I'd be interested in helping you?" Kaiba interrupted, his voice cold. He had no time for Tea's pleas now. He'd never listened to them before and he wasn't about to start, especially not with his program so close to completion.

"Just listen to me, _please_, Seto." Tea stopped suddenly. "I mean, Kaiba." She reiterated, her voice still thick with emotion. "Just let me in. I have nowhere else to go. Just for tonight, I swear!" At this point, she broke down and wept openly through the intercom.

Kaiba listened for as much as seven seconds before he sighed. Bad enough that she call round at such a ridiculous hour (the fact that he was awake anyway was irrelevant), but now she make him uncomfortable in his own house by crying at his front door? "Fine. I'll open to gates."

And with that, he hit another button next to the intercom, which allowed the electric gates to open and ended the intercom transmission. Kaiba took one last rueful look at his programming and saved it, before closing the lid of his laptop, putting it into hibernation.

---

Tea hobbled up the driveway towards the impressive mansion laid out before her. She was surprised Kaiba had given in so easily to her request, but she figured it was only because she had promised to trespass on his lack of hospitality for the few remaining hours of the night. Not long to plead her case, then.

She reached the front door and stood, her hair dripping over her face in thin strands, and her weight on her good ankle. She was waiting a while before the door creaked open, but to be fair to Kaiba, he opened the door wide and invited her into the hallway.

She immediately felt intimidated. Kaiba's mansion seemed to be a surprisingly tasteful mix of Mediterranean glamour and traditional splendour. Something about the strange style clicked with Tea, the blend of old and modern décor gave the place an alternative vibe, one that she was surprised to find in Kaiba's tastes.

The comfortably dressed nineteen year-old opposite smirked. "Don't look so shocked. Grey and white are such boring colours to be around." He said, looking his guest up and down. "What happened to you, Gardener?" He asked rather abruptly, nodding towards her awkward stance and the wrist she cradled in her other arm- not to mention the many bruises that were starting to show on her limbs and neck.

She opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a sleepy Mokuba, who wandered into the hallway, rubbing his eyes and stifling a yawn. "Seto, what's going on?" He looked up at the two teenagers and his eyes lit up. "Tea! Come into the lounge! What are you doing here? You look terrible! What happened? Did you fall?" His endless flow of questions and comments didn't cease until he had led her into the lounge- an expensively decorated room filled with a contrast of warm rouge and cool beige. The fifteen year old invited her to a seat on a chintz armchair (Seto's nose twitched slightly at this), and she accepted, her shorts making a slight squelching noise as she sat down.

Mokuba took a seat on the sofa, curled catlike around the arm. "So spill already!" He demanded.

And so Tea found herself explaining in great detail the events of the day, failing to realise that Kaiba was now leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, obviously totally disinterested in what she had to say. She finished and looked up. Mokuba's face was the picture of sympathy. He sighed. "Tea, that's terrible! You know you're welcome here, isn't that right, Seto?"

Seto looked at Tea darkly. "Sure." He said, voice dripping with sarcasm. He left the wall he was leaning on and walked out of the room.

"Oh, don't mind him." Mokuba said, looking after his brother. "The early hours of the morning don't suit him."

Tea frowned. "I'm not sure any hours suit him." She said, but quietly so as not to offend Mokuba.

"Well, Tea, we've got guest bedrooms upstairs and they're all ensuite so you can have a shower. I'm not sure what to do about clothes, but I'm sure you can borrow a shirt from Seto to sleep in."

Tea gave a small smile at the thought of asking Seto for a shirt. "Thanks, Mokuba, but I think I'll stay downstairs if that's okay. I'm not sure my ankle can take much more weight."

Seto walked back into the room carrying a selection of medical tape and bandages. He caught that end of Tea's sentence and cursed his timing. He would become her butler if he wasn't careful. He placed them on the table, immensely annoyed by the look of intense gratitude Tea gave him. "It doesn't take a genius to figure you'd need it." He said quietly.

"Thank you, Kaiba." She replied, with dignity.

Mokuba held out a hand to stop Tea reaching the bandages. "Tea, you don't have to walk all the way upstairs. Seto can carry you, can't you, Seto?" Mokuba fixed his brother with a stare the likes of which could be more commonly found on the faces of determined mothers talking to disobedient sons.

Seto snorted. "I can assure you I will most certainly _not_ be carrying Miss Gardener up three flights of stairs."

Tea protested at almost the same time. "No, really, Mokuba. It's fine- I'll sleep on the couch. If there's a bathroom on this floor, I'll sort myself out."

Mokuba stood up and ignored Tea's polite demurral. "Seto." The look in his eye told his elder brother that there would be no arguing. "Tea needs to clean herself up. She also needs a shirt to sleep in- and you'll be helping her with both, or I might just refuse to attend the Corp's soiree on Thursday night, and then you wouldn't be able to explain your latest project…"

Seto raised an eyebrow and looked from his brother to Tea. He shot the latter a look that clearly indicated he was humouring his brother, and he held out his hand. Tea took it uncertainly, and without warning, Kaiba puller her upright, brought his other arm under her knees and swept her off the floor. "Mokuba, take those bandages will you, I can't carry everything.

Tea had to admit, she felt rather helpless in the arms of the one person she felt sure was likely to toss her out of the nearest open window. Actually, when she thought of it, Kaiba didn't seem to be struggling to hold her- and, she hated to say it, but she was comfortable in his grasp. Her arm was looped around his neck, having no other place to be, and she found her hand snaking around to rest comfortably on his shoulder. He looked and her hand and back to her with an eyebrow raised and the faintest hint of a smile on his lips.

Playfully, she gave his shoulder a sarcastic squeeze- and then froze like a rabbit in the headlights. Did she just _flirt_ with the CEO of Kaiba Corp?! In any case, he hadn't taken it seriously, releasing her tension with a roll of his eyes and a smile that showed only a hint of his teeth. Tea turned her head forwards and began to pay attention to where she was being carried. If she was going to find her way out of this huge mansion in the morning, she would definitely need to start getting to know more of the building… and less of the contours of Kaiba's chest…

What?! Her left hand was resting lightly on the nineteen year old's chest, and she hadn't noticed! How many more body parts was she going to loose control of in his presence?

Mokuba looked up at his big brother knowingly, walking beside them and catching Tea's expression of realisation- and the slow removal of her hand from Seto's torso, though her head didn't turn. Seto caught his younger brother's eye and gave the smallest of shakes of his head.

They reached the fourth, and second highest floor, and Mokuba guided Seto and Tea towards a guest suite. "This one'll do." He said confidently. "Seto's room is just across the landing, and mine's next door. If you need anything, just yell."

Mokuba opened the door and Seto carried Tea inside and gently lowered her onto the bed. She brought her arm away from his neck, somewhat disappointed to leave the comfortable position she had been in when he was carrying her. Seto flashed her a small smirk and straightened up. "You'll be alright to take a shower on that ankle?" He asked, brow furrowing as he looked uncertainly towards the ensuite.

Tea feigned surprise. "Was that concern in your voice, Kaiba?"

"Of course." Seto replied smoothly. "I wouldn't want to pay damages for any further harm you might clumsily inflict on yourself- or my furniture."

"It figures." Tea nodded. "And I'll be fine. Thank-you." She smiled, and Seto caught the gratitude as it returned to her face.

"Just don't come sleepwalking into my room tonight." He said, meekly finding a comeback, and closing the door behind him.

"Sleepwalking? That was lame, Seto." Mokuba chastised his brother as they walked further down the corridor to their rooms.

"Shuttup, Mokuba."

Yes. That last line was a nod to LittleKuriboh who created Yu Gi Oh: The Abridged Series, which is quite frankly the most hilarious abridged anime series I've ever had the pleasure to witness.

If you haven't heard of it, go check it out NOW at www. yougiohtheabridgedseries. com (take out the spaces)

PS. I have just noticed that Tea is spelt the same way as tea (as in 'a cup of tea') yet pronounced completely differently. I must be missing an accent of come kind. Anyone who can explain this to me will be rewarded with the next chapter.


	3. Ends that don't meet

Chapter 3 and here's the usual spiel:

**Disclaimer**: Yu Gi Oh is definitely not mine. (gr)

Concrit welcome (and encouraged!)

* * *

When Joey Wheeler came to, he found himself in a room that looked remarkably like a prison cell. A tiny metal framed bed occupied one corner, and a table with one chair stood solitary in the middle of the room. A small screen blocked off the bathroom area- a toilet and sink, and strip lighting was attached to the ceiling above him.

The walls were concrete, their grey expanse broken only by a heavy steel door, and a single window, which was actually a tiny grille at the top of the wall to his right. He could see a grey ceiling like his own through the grille. Perhaps one of his friends was in there? He called a tentative hello, but received no answer. Empty then- or worse, his friends couldn't reply. Joey shuddered at that last thought. His fears were alleviated, however, when he heard the creaking of a door and a familiar voice protest loudly.

"Get off me, you great goons!" He heard the sound of someone being slapped, and a male voice yelp in paint. "And there's more where that came from! If you even _think_ abou-" A sharp squeal cut through the woman's dialogue followed by a thud as, presumably, she hit the floor. There was a creak and a clang of a metal door shut, and Joey realised he was no longer alone.

"Mai!" He called, standing under the grille. He waited for a reply but nothing came. "Mai? Are you alright?"

Another pause. And then, "Joey? Is that you? Where are you?"

Joey sighed in relief. "I'm on the other side of this wall." He slammed a fist against the offending concrete. "How did you get here?" He asked, still right beside the wall.

"Those idiots dragged me from my home." Her voice was much closer now, and Joey was sure she was standing just the other side of the wall. "Joey, I don't know about you, but I'm scared. I mean, what do they want with us?"

The blonde kid sure drew a blank about that one. "No idea." He confessed. "But I'm pretty sure we aren't the only ones. I know they got Tristan, and I've heard them talking about Yugi."

"How long have you been here?" Mai asked, and the mixture of shock and sympathy in her voice inspired to Joey to image her exact facial expression.

"Two, three days, maybe. Not sure. But one thing's for certain- they either don't want, or haven't caught Tea." Joey wasn't exactly sure how he knew it, but he did.

"How'd you figure that one out?"

"Well, the blokes that walk past the cell talk about 'the girl', and they keep repeating Tea's address, but apparently there's no one home. She's gone right off the map." Joey smiled at this. "I bet she's hiding out and got a plan to help us." He said confidently.

"And in the meantime, I don't plan on sitting here like a damsel in distress. Watch out, Wheeler, I'm about to crash whatever party you've got going in there." Mai said, and with that she picked up the end of her bed and rammed it into the concrete.

---

Kaiba did not sleep well. He awoke shortly after he fell asleep, his thoughts muddled and fuzzy from lack of sleep. He rolled over and checked his bedside clock. It read four thirty in the morning. He sighed. No point in getting back to sleep; he'd only wake himself an hour later in order to be up and in his Kaiba Corp office for six.

Instead, he hurried down to the kitchen and proceeded to boil himself a cup of tea. He may have many assistants in HQ who would be more than happy to make him a coffee if it meant an actual conversation with their boss, but whilst in his own home he much preferred to depend on himself- and only himself. If he delved far enough into his psyche, he would have said that it was all due to a lonely upbringing and his determination for a result- but that was far too deep a reflection over a simple cup of tea.

He sat at the kitchen table, a small but stylish item which was appropriate for the smallness of the family, and placed his coffee down beside him, and cupped his head in his hands. He sighed deeply, letting his shoulders rise and fall with the action. After a moment, he stood again, and opened a cupboard. He drew out a portable CD player, and selected a disk from the stacks that filled the bottom shelf. Not his most technologically advanced piece of equipment, but he had had this particular player since his days in the orphanage. It was a little well known fact, but deep down, Seto Kaiba was sentimental too.

He plopped the CD into place and hit play. A slow, ethereal sound began to emit, interspersed with soft notes from a guitar. Seto sighed again, this time much more peacefully. He took a seat in the adjacent lounge, and allowed himself the small pleasure of relaxing fully into the padded chair, the music washing over him in waves, and his coffee warming him from the inside outwards. If only he could indulge in this more often, he mused, a faint smile creeping across his face.

His solitude was disturbed when Tea stumbled downstairs half an hour later. She was still dressed, he noticed, in one of his shirts. It reached her thighs. She was obviously lost, as she opened doors and had tentative looks inside, but she seemed enthralled at the beauty of the mansion. It was expensively decorated, yes, but there was definitely a warmth, a sense of _home_ to the place. The Kaiba brothers' strong sense of family had evidently left its mark; in fact, Tea realised, it was probably the reason for Kaiba's icy demeanour. So tight was his bond with his brother, all others seemed insignificant in comparison. She sighed sadly. How very wrong he was.

"Are you looking for something?" Kaiba's steely voice cut through her thoughts. She turned, and her hands immediately went to pull her shirt lower. He gave her a dark look. "Might I point out firstly that I have no interest in the reaching of your garment, and secondly that I am offended you would accuse me of doing so."

Tea bit her lip, her feelings of sympathy towards the CEO vanished. Trust him to make her feel bad about being embarrassed. "I was looking for the door actually. I decided I'd trespassed on your… _hospitality_ long enough."

Seto snorted. "Of course. Hence why you are still wearing my shirt. Oh, and just so you know, it's longer than most of the skirts you wear." He said, with a straight face.

Tea fumed silently, but was saved the humiliation of replying as Kaiba opened his mouth once more. "I suppose you'll want feeding." He said dismissively. He led her into the kitchen, taking the opportunity to shut off the music.

"I liked it." Tea said, as silence filled the room.

"As did I. Thus explaining why I was playing it." Kaiba replied. "You want tea? Coffee?"

"Water, thanks." She replied. She picked up the CD he had been playing. It was homemade, and a track list was scrawled on the back. Most of the songs she had never heard, but the few she recognised were definitely to her liking. "I used to listen to this one when I was little!" She said, grinning. "I love The Verve! Mind if I play it?"

Kaiba handed her a glass of water and nodded. "If you must." He said tiredly, stressing the last word to emphasise his intense distaste for her presence.

She played the CD, overcome by a sense of confidence. She smiled as the song opened with soft strings. For some reason, the riff never failed to produce an uncontrollable smile on her face. It seemed to have the same effect on Seto- she swore she caught a hint of laughter in his eyes.

She found herself tapping her foot in time to the beat, until the tap became slow steps, which developed into a slight sway. She finished her drink and spun a slow circle on her way to the sink. She deposited the glass on the side in a fluid movement which carried her to the centre of the kitchen, where she pirouetted gracefully and began a series of dance steps.

Behind her, Kaiba gave a low laugh. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Yes, actually. I rather think I am." She mimicked his broad vocabulary, and inadvertently began a battle of wits.

"Oh, so you _did_ learn to speak the Queen's English, then. Which generous gentlemen stopped to give you that peasant's lesson?"

She took a chance, ignoring his insults. "The one who's about to help me find my friends." She said, loud enough to be heard over the ending chords of the song, but soft enough to convey her uncertainty.

Kaiba fell silent. "I am not a rescue service." He said, turning away from her, his defensive attitude flaring. The last thing he needed now was more helpless nobodies clamouring for his assistance. "The sun's been up for twenty minutes, and I have a corporation to run. Mokuba will show you the way out." He said, before leaving her very much alone in the kitchen.

Tea sighed and watched him walk serenely from the room. For all his bravado, and for all his self indulgence, there was a wall which separated his true personality. Just as his duelling strategy revolved mainly around his Blue Eyes White Dragon, so his personality was devoted to his scarce, but priceless family. She gave a small smile.

If only he knew that.

---

Kaiba put his hands against the wall of the shower and hung his head, letting the hot water pound his back therapeutically. He was already running later than he had planned. It may have been nearing weekend, but that by no means meant that business didn't continue at full pace. Seto Kaiba refused to take more than one day off a week- and he usually spent his single day off alternating between rigorous exercise and experimental programming. But first he had to get through one more day of work.

He allowed himself a few seconds longer in the heat, and then shut off the water, stepping out of the shower and wrapping a white towel around his midriff. He dressed quickly, and made his way to his study to collect his briefcase and laptop. He entered the room and snatched his case up. He paused before picking up his laptop, however. A thought had crossed his mind. Perhaps whoever had kidnapped Yugi could be of a similar mind to himself- after all, it took a certain kind of person to rival the underdog duellist, and that kind of person usually held most- if not all- of the cards.

Perhaps, if given the chance, this mysterious villain could prove to be of use to Kaiba… and if that was the case, Seto would need a bargaining chip… perhaps one of Yugi's friends.

Tea fit the bill nicely.

* * *

Shorter than usual, I know, but it just naturally ended there, so... reviews?


	4. Brotherly Lovin'

Chapter four already! 

A HUGE thank you goes to all the folks who have reviewed and added this fic to their alerts- you guys are the biggest motivation! I honestly was expecting to wait a few weeks before I got a reaction, but you guys ROCK!

Anyway, I guess I'd better get on with the story, so- just because I like to copy and paste- here's my generic disclaimer!

**Disclaimer: **Yu Gi Oh is definitely not mine. (gr)

* * *

As Yugi's mind surfaced into consciousness, he felt a jolt of pain slice through his skull. If only those idiots stopped knocking him out every time he got close to escaping. The teenager struggled once more against his bonds. He could tell it was a new chair- the previous one had been wooden, and now the cold metal brought him to awareness much quicker. He gritted his teeth and twisted his hands around behind his back, hoping to loosen the ropes that held him.

Obviously, they'd gained enough practice to tie a decent knot; it took him the best part of ten minutes to gain even the slightest amount of progress. He sighed, realising that his attempts were useless, and instead focused his energy on reaching the Pharaoh. His millennium puzzle may have been stolen, but perhaps if he tried hard enough, Yugi could reach his mentor.

He was interrupted as the door in front of him opened, and light flooded into the dark room. The silhouette of a young man appeared at the doorway.

"So, Yugi. Feel like explaining yet?"

The seventeen year old scowled. "You wish!" He received a rough blow to the face for his reluctance to comply.

"As touching as your loyalty to the Pharaoh is, you _will_ show me how I may speak with him."

Yugi gritted his teeth. He knew the Pharaoh had warned him that if he was brought forth from the puzzle, he could not guarantee his actions, or their consequences- but being separate from his mentor was starting to take its toll on the teenager. He just needed some advice, some comfort- someone to talk to. After all, after two years of constant company- whether conscious or not- loosing the Pharaoh seemed like loosing a sibling.

"Try me!" Yugi challenged, once again pushing his need for companionship away from his mind. He must stay focused!

---

Joey pressed his eye to the hole in the wall Mai had made. "Hello? Anybody home in there?"

"Joey?" Mai's sleepy voice replied, and he heard the sound of her rising from her bed.

"Naw-hey! Don't get up just cause-a me! You need your rest- I was just wonderin' if you were awake, that's all." Joey demurred.

"No, I'd rather be awake and talking to you than having nightmares asleep." Mai replied, dragging her blanket along the floor and sitting down opposite her friend. She wrapped her blanket around herself and looked at the hole. It was about thirty centimetres wide, and roughly circular. But through the hole was Joey, and he was by far more interesting.

He smiled at her. "You warm enough?" He asked, cocking his head to one side.

"Yes, Joey. I'm fine." She sighed, intensely grateful for the sight of his thick blonde hair and deep honey eyes. "So how're we getting out of here?" She asked, stifling a yawn.

Joey shrugged. "Dunno, but d'you reckon I could make this hole a bit bigger?" He asked, standing up and dragging his bed over.

Mai gave a small smile. What she wouldn't give to be in the same room as someone else. Before she had been transferred to this room, she had spent almost a week in solitary confinement- and although she prided herself on her independence, the company of her friends over the last few years and her flowering relationship with a certain Joey Wheeler ensured that she found she sorely missed the presence of a human- by the end of the week, she was almost glad to be taken away by the guards.

"Bash the sucker through." She said confidently- and her command was obeyed almost instantly.

Joey took a run up, and slammed the corner of the bed into the wall, breaking a slender crack around the existing hole. He backed up, and on the second hit, the concrete gave way. Not a particularly large entrance, but big enough for Mai to crawl through.

She reached the other side, stood, and promptly fell forwards, failing to realise that the thin blanket she had wrapped herself in had snagged on the ragged hole in the wall.

Joey caught her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I gotcha!" He helped her upright, taking care to unhook the material from the concrete. She blushed slightly, and turned her head away.

Joey cocked his head, not altogether aware of her embarrassment. "You feelin' okay?" He asked again, wondering for a moment if she was turning to avoid throwing up on him.

Mai regained her composure. "Fine, thanks." She looked at Joey's doubtful expression. "Yes, I'm sure! Now let's hurry up and get outta here!"

She took a moment to shake herself awake, before picking up one end of the bed. Joey followed her lead, and took the other side in his grasp. "On three. One…" They swung the bed backwards to gain momentum. "Two…" They prepared themselves for a run-up. "Three!" They sprinted at the door, letting the bed crash into it with a resonant CLANG!

Joey surveyed the crumpled door that lay in front of them. "Not bad. Not bad at all." He walked confidently over the threshold, Mai following someone more cautiously. They took a quick look each way before emerging into a tight corridor lit with strips of UV lights. "I'd say that small triumph calls for a high five, Miss Valentine." The teen leaned cockily against the wall and held up a lazy hand.

But Mai had other plans. Her eyes became saucer-like, and she grabbed his wrist. "No time, Joey! RUN!" She was already at full sprint before he had time to process what she was saying.

A quick glance over his shoulder told him that crushing a metal door with a bedpost wasn't as tranquil a noise as he had first suspected. He found his footing, and after a moment, it was him dragging Mai behind as he ran full pelt from the ominous looking guns the security was sporting. After thirty seconds of blind running, he blinked twice, and incorporated direction into his manic thoughts. "Eh, Mai?" He panted, allowing her to catch up. "Any idea where we are?"

They didn't stop running, although now that they paid some attention to their surroundings, they could see that the corridor was beginning to widen, and there were side routes and doors appearing on either side.

"Through there!" Mai yelled, nudging Joey towards a passageway to their left. He skidded around the corner, grabbing onto a door handle to keep him on track. He reached out for Mai's hand and yanked her unceremoniously inside the now open doorway, slamming it shut behind him and pulling her to the floor.

"Stay low, and close to the door. They'll run right past us." He whispered, laying down beside her and holding his breath. They watched the crack of light that showed under the bottom of the door, and tensed as the shadow's of their pursuers flickered on their way past.

They waited a full five minutes before they dared moving again. Mai turned over to face Joey, her hand falling on his chest.

He looked down at her hand, and then back up to her face. "Um, Mai. You've kinda got your hand on-"

"Shuttup, Joseph." She interrupted, sliding her other hand over his cheek and leaning close. He put a hand tentatively on her waist, and then her lips were touching down lightly on his own…

---

"Oh, so like a dance party?" Tea asked, her eyes lighting up at the prospect.

Seto sliced into his steak with a little more venom than was really necessary. After deciding to allow Tea to intrude on his home for another week, he was beginning to wonder whether his plan was worth the effort. "Don't be ridiculous. Three billion dollar corporations don't have dance parties. It's a soiree. An evening of elegance, if you like." He sighed and placed his knife and fork on the table, despairing at the blank look on Tea's face.

Mokuba, on the other hand looked positively radiant. Today he had made an all new personal best. Seto never took guests to his company's social functions- in fact, he very rarely made an appearance at all unless he had a particularly urgent message to present (and even then he occasionally appeared by way of a video conference), and it was for this reason that the fifteen year old took great pride in having won his latest request.

"Okay, it's a soiree." Tea agreed. "But there will be dancing?"

Seto rolled his eyes and shot his younger brother a dark look. Mokuba giggled at his expression and turned to their guest. "Yes, Tea. These evenings usually involve a meal, socialising, dancing and then Seto, or one of our directors makes an announcement to remind everyone why they came. Simple really."

A pang of guilt flashed through Seto. He was, on the whole, pleased that his brother had found company- however distasteful it may be- and he was definitely not complaining about Mokuba's sudden surge of enthusiasm for the company, but he had failed to tell his brother that Tea was simply bait; a bargaining chip for Yugi's captor. He dismissed it, instead focusing his concentration on the salad in front of him.

"That sounds fantastic, Kaiba." Tea replied evenly. "I'd love to go." She smiled politely at Mokuba, taking a small pleasure from the sour look on the elder Kaiba's face. She may be bitter towards the President of Kaiba Corp, but she was most certainly not going to disappoint Mokuba. After all, he was a nice enough kid, and she was grateful for his careful manipulation of his elder brother- she was almost certain that she would have been thrown out of the house if he hadn't sweet talked his elder brother out of it.

Mokuba returned her grin and pushed his chair back. Tea stood as well, and they left Kaiba to brood over the remains of his meal. It seemed so strange to Tea to be placing her cutlery and plate in a dishwasher in a mansion of such grandeur as the one she was in now. She knew that there were no employees, but it still irked her slightly. After all, Kaiba could easily afford to have a house keeper, a butler, a chef, a gardener- heck, he could have someone around to train a pet monkey if he wanted- but instead he preferred to do his own manual labour. It just proved how little she really knew about the CEO.

She checked the clock- it was almost nine o'clock. She'd had little experience with late meals, but she found it suited her appetite much better. She always became drowsy after eating, and eating later on meant that it was perfectly acceptable for her to retire now, and be up bright and early in the morning.

"I think I'll go get some shuteye." She said, yawing widely, and giving the brothers a small wave as she passed them in the dining hall. "G'night, guys."

"Night, Tea!"

"Evening."

Mokuba watched her walk up the stairs and waited until he was sure she was out of earshot before he turned to his brother. "So, Seto. Developing a crush are you?" He asked sweetly.

Seto raised an eyebrow at his brother, his fork halfway to his mouth. He crunched down violently on the offending lettuce leaf as if to illustrate his thoughts on Mokuba's statement.

"Aw, come on, bro'. She's kind, she's pretty- she's got spunk." Mokuba cocked his head in time with his last word, teasing his elder brother. "And you've got my approval."

"Don't be ridiculous, Mokuba. There's a snowflake's chance in hell I'd ever think of Gardener in that way." Seto said defensively, swallowing his salad and rising from his seat. He walked into the kitchen and turned on the dishwasher, scowling as his brother followed.

"Funny how hell has a untimely habit of freezing over though isn't it?" Mokuba replied, a devilish smile crossing his face as he realised he'd hit a chord.

Seto straightened, and for one he used his height over Mokuba to his advantage. "And what makes you think I need _your_ approval for any girl I may- or may _not_- have my eye on?" He asked, looking slightly smug.

"Because you wouldn't _dare_ bring anyone home without consulting with your _Luurve _Doctor." Mokuba grinned, pleased with the smile he produced on his brother's face. Seto was just coming to terms with the fact that his considerably more relaxed younger brother was at the age in which he began to appreciate girls- and unlike Seto, he was very vocal about it when in close company.

"Yeah, well toddle off, little Romeo; I think it's time you practised your bedroom skills. We've got a day off tomorrow and you won't want to waste it sleeping." Seto knew his immature pun was certain to capture his brother's attention.

"Sure thing Seto, but if I catch you sleeping in, I'll know who to blame." The younger Kaiba brother winked cheekily and darted out of rage as Seto made to grab him.

"Get back here, you… punk! Take that back!"

Well, boys will be boys, and Mokuba's definitely more in touch with his hormones that Seto- and even though Seto may play the part of the single parent in most of Mokuba's life, brothers don't get that close without being able to joke around with each other. I just figured girls would be a pretty ironic subject seeing as what with all their time occupied for business, the fact that either of them have so many fans probably escapes their notice- they'd be more of the mind set that they couldn't get a girl to save their lives.

Oh the irony!


	5. Sunday's Not Bad for a Fight

Chapter FIVE now! I beginning to surprise myself here! It's all cause of you guys reviewing! You inspire me! And whenever I get a block I can tell myself, "No, Nicki, you giant fool! You must write some more- pull your act together! You have reviewers to satisfy!" And then I do! And it's awesome because I hate leaving my stories unfinished, even though I have the plan in my head kinda… it's a guilt trip! D: 

So a MILLION BILLION thanks for supplying the disciplinary part of my brain with some evidence!

Well, a new chapter calls for a new disclaimer:

**Disclaimer**: As petalpixie pointed out in her Christmas fic, sadly the copyright for Yu Gi Oh cannot be bought out, and so for now it remains the property of some very lucky people, none of which include me.

* * *

"Y'know, I'm not sure that was exactly the time, Mai." Joey said, feeling oddly comfortable in his helpless position on the floor.

Mai was still leaning over him, her hair falling over one side of her head in riotous curls. "But then you've never carried a pocket watch." She replied, smiling, and getting to her feet.

Joey followed her, looking cautiously towards the window of the door. He guided her into the corner of the room where they were sheltered by shadows, and surveyed their small sanctuary. He smiled appreciatively, and turned back to Mai. "You make a fair point. And, as fate would have it, we appear to be in a stock room and those, my fine feathered friend," He took a moment to jab a thumb over his shoulder at the various piles of cardboard boxes before replacing his palm on the side of her cheek, "happen to be guns." He paused again, confidence returning to him. "But seeing as I have no pocket watch, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume that the current time falls between those hours in which you take top priority on my list."

Mai pushed his shoulder gently as he leaned in once more. "Are you making a task of me, Joseph?" She asked, the hint of a knowing smile playing on her lips.

"Of course not." He replied evenly. "Task would imply I'm not enjoying myself." And with that, he enveloped her hand in his, drew it away from his shoulder and let his hands slide into Mai's blonde locks.

Her eyes closed obligingly, and she impulsively moved closer towards Joey. Had she been using her mind at the time, she would have been disgusted with her lack of control over her own body, but for some bizarre reason, the simple fact that it was Joey she was turning to made it perfectly alright.

Joey pulled away gently, touching noses with her before drawing completely away. And then he remembered that he was Joey Wheeler, 17, trapped inside a network of tunnels in a room full of weaponry. "Okay, looks like we'd better get outta here!" He said, taking a gun from one of the already open boxes, and ripping open another in search of ammunition.

Mai frowned. "You plan on shooting your way outta here?" She asked quizzically.

Joey loaded his weapon and locked the chamber forcefully. "Hate to break it to ya, honey, but I don't see a deck o' cards or a dual-disk system around here- and somethin' tells me these guys ain't the type to sit down and play cards over this." He caught Mai's nervous expression, and softened slightly. "Well, you don't have to _use_ it… it's more to swing the status quo." He reiterated.

Mai picked up one of the long black guns. "Point 'n' press?" She asked, holding up the gun in one hand and indicating the trigger.

"Just like takin' a photo ain't it?"

The woman nodded- and swallowed hard. Sure, Joey. Just like taking a photo.

---

Seto's single day off began early. He rose at 4am and immediately pulled on, of all things, a dark singlet and a pair of knee length shorts. Contrary to popular belief, Seto did enjoy running, especially when he could travel freely around Domino city without anyone getting in his way. He donned running shoes and left the mansion, taking a lap of the grounds to warm up. He then vaulted the low wall that served as a back fence, and picked up the pace for a customary lap into and around town.

Mokuba, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He loved to splurge, sleeping in until as late at ten o'clock before his natural hyperactivity kicked in and he couldn't rest for any longer.

Thus, it was to a very quiet and serene house that Tea awoke. She stretched languidly, careful not to move her injured ankle too much- it was just starting to loosen up- and slid gently off the bed. Remembering her run-in with Seto the previous morning, she wrapped a blanket around herself, taking care to ensure that there was no skin visible above her knees. Usually, this wouldn't bother her, but something about the majestic atmosphere in the mansion gave her second thoughts about propriety.

Or, if she was more truthful, the idea of Seto catching her without wearing shorts or a skirt of any kind twice in a row would be unthinkably embarrassing.

Opening the door cautiously, and glancing both ways down the landing (her eyes resting perhaps a little longer than was entirely necessary on Seto's door), she trod carefully across the landing and down the wide staircase which joined all five levels of the mansion. She took a tentative step downwards, taking care not to trip over her blanket.

She reached the ground floor and glanced at the clock. It was ten to seven in the morning. A mild surprise washed over Tea- she had been quite sure that she had overslept. Feeling very out of place in the high roofed manor, she found a seat on the edge of the couch, perching daintily for all of three seconds before deciding that seeing as she would never have the chance to lie on such a ridiculously expensive couch after she had rescued her friends, she may as well enjoy it. She swung her legs onto the couch and settled back, her head resting comfortably on the arm of the chair.

She glanced at the clock again. Surely a ten minute nap wouldn't harm anyone? She'd just close her eyes for a moment and then she'd get up…

She yawned widely, and her eyes fell shut. Just ten minutes…

---

Seto Kaiba returned to the back of his mansion breathing heavily and weary. He was quite sure that he had just broken a personal record, running fifteen kilometres in just over two hours. He walked a lap around his expansive gardens before slipping through the large glass sliding doors of his kitchen and retiring inside for a refreshing shower.

He walked right past the couch Tea was sleeping on, failing to notice the bundled heap that covered his furniture. He stood for a moment at the bottom of the stairs, mentally preparing himself for taking them at a run. He was incredibly weary, and although it seemed like his run was over, Kaiba knew that life wasn't as simple as setting a goal and reaching it; he had to know that he was able to overcome any obstacles or false peaks that were thrown his way.

And with that, he darted forwards, clearing the stairs two at a time until he reached the fourth floor, and could stumble at last into the welcoming spray of his shower.

---

Once dressed comfortably in a plain tee and faded denims, and feeling much the lighter for his run, he made a beeline for the kitchen. Climbing the giant staircase of his mansion was exercise in itself- Kaiba had designed the house with that in mind; he didn't want to let his small family's prosperity negatively affect their health in any way.

It was only on his way through to the large open kitchen that he noticed Tea was on his couch. He paused mid stride, and felt his head snap back towards the lounge as he performed a small double-take.

"Gardener?" The word had left his mouth before he intended it to, and he chided himself for sounding so innocently surprised. Long gone were the days when Seto Kaiba was shocked by people turning up in the wrong places.

However, his words seemed to be disregarded anyway, so he needn't have worried; the short haired girl was deep in sleep. Her chest rose and fell slightly as she breathed, and her arm snaked from under the thin blanket, pulling in it closer. She moved into a slightly more comfortable position, stretching her legs out from under her and letting her ankles fall gracefully from the edge of the couch. He noted that the swelling had gone down, and that she was still wearing the elastic support. The sheet outlined her figure remarkably well, and had she stayed perfectly still, she could have been mistaken for an extraordinarily lifelike sculpture.

Seto blinked. Had he really been watching her for that long?

He turned into the kitchen, his face stony, and poured himself a glass of fresh fruit juice. He pondered briefly the efficiency of making a cooked breakfast, and decided against it, instead opting for a much more simple slice of toast.

He returned to the lounge with his small breakfast and took a seat on one of the plush white sofas. He glanced briefly at his guest, and then set his drink on the coffee table and crunched into his toast.

He had barely finished his first slice when a small murmur sounded from the couch on the other side of the room. Seto's eyes flashed briefly towards it source, and then back to his breakfast. He ate in silence, his mind wandering towards his latest benchmark in programming. He drained the rest of his juice and set his crockery down on the table, and as he did so, an uneasy feeling settled over him.

He looked up- and had he been anyone other than Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba-Corp, he would have jumped a foot in the air. As it was, Seto's small moment of horror was concealed behind dilating pupils and slightly raised eyebrows. Tea Gardener smiled sleepily at him, her arm now wrapped snugly around the cushion of the couch.

"Morning, Seto." She said, in a clear voice that betrayed the fact she had been awake for much longer than she had let on. It had perked her interest to find that none other than the icy egocentric Boss himself sat within meters of her, calmly eating breakfast and so obviously lost in thought.

"Morning, Gardener." He replied evenly.

"My name's Tea." She reminded him. "You can call me that. I'm not one of your business associates, you know."

Seto ignored her, and instead posed a question. "What are you doing on the couch? Surely the guest bedroom was more comfortable?"

"It was." She agreed, sitting up. "I only meant to catnap here." She added in response to his singular raised eyebrow. She noted, with a small jolt, that he was very well dressed, albeit in a casual sense. She glanced down at her borrowed grey shirt, which, while baggy at her shoulders and waist, was revealing much in the way of figure around her chest, and pulled up the blankets self-consciously.

"Indeed." Seto fell silent, content to sit on the sofa and stare straight ahead.

Tea paused for a moment, unsure how to go about phrasing her query, before opening her mouth. "Kaiba?"

"My name is Seto." He corrected her, the ghost of a smirk tugging at his lip.

"Seto, then. About… about Yugi." She winced as he visibly stiffened. "Should we perhaps… get onto that?"

Seto stayed perfectly still and silent, the playful light in his eyes completely extinguished and his mouth grimly set. Tea reached out, but he answered her a fraction of a second before she touched him. "I have an idea." Her arm retracted slowly. "Thursday night, as you already know, is the evening of the soiree."

Tea nodded. "Mokuba invited me." She reminded him.

"I recall the conversation. It was, after all, only last night." He shot a glance her way which could have been in jest or scorn. "Well, obviously, you're a target. We can see from Tristan's disappearance that your mysterious villain is not simply after duelists. So I have a proposition for you, provided you have the courage." Again with the sideways glance- "Come along to this evening with me. I'll advertise your presence, and whoever has your friends will surely be there to add you to his collection."

Tea frowned, somewhat irritated at being referred to as an object. An irritation she chose to voice. "Seto Kaiba, I am not a collector's item."

His face remained unchanged. "I am well aware of the fact." And once more, Tea could not be sure if he was insulting or complimenting her. "But step into the mind of your enemy for once. See from his point of view. He shall be able to slip undetected into my soiree, steal you and leave without so much as a by your leave."

"And you plan to intercept his plan how?"

For once, Seto displayed some emotion. "What do you mean how? I shall be there. I'd like to see him try and get past me." And with a challenging smile on his sharp features, Seto rose and left the room, leaving Tea feeling more confused that before.

---

"So, Tea, when are we going to your place?" Mokuba grabbed the remote and turned the volume down on the TV. She had consented to watch a movie with the youngest Kaiba, feeling slightly guilty at the forlorn look on Seto's face when his brother had rushed immediately to Tea after rising an hour following the teen's chat.

"Well, I don't know that we are." She said uncertainly. "I don't think your brother really planned on-"

"Pthooey!" Mokuba declared, selecting a piece of popcorn from the bowl on the table. "You need to get some clothes, and your toothbrush, and shoes, I suppose, and-" he grew tired of listing the various things Tea would need for her extended stay at the Kaiba household. "-well, y'know. All your stuff! You can't sleep in Seto's shirts forever." He added, grinning widely.

Tea wasn't sure why that last comment made her stomach clench uncomfortably.

"I guess you're right." She sighed, rising. "We'd better go speak to Seto."

Mokuba nodded his approval. "Much better, Tea. Now you're starting to act like one of the family."

---

They pulled up to Tea's small house not in one of Seto's customary black limousines, but in a much more common Toyota. They exited cautiously, and Tea hurried to her front door, key at the ready. She swiftly let herself in, and Kaiba and Mokuba followed closely behind. 

Her house was immaculate. The small wooden coffee table was neat and ordered, there was no junk on the floor, the kitchen looked _swept_- even the cushions on the sofas appeared to be perfectly in place…

…Which was strange considering Tea had left them strewn about the room having slept on the couch. And with her parents away, who was left to clean the house?

Tea's eyes widened as she stepped forwards, leaving Seto and Mokuba to look around at her kitchen and living room. The walls and ceiling were lined with varnished wood, and the roof was held by large wooden sleepers- an impressive feat of handiwork. Seto watched the girl wander down the hallway from his peripheral vision, before turning his attention to his younger brother. "What do you think, Mokuba?" He asked, betraying no opinion so as to get an honest answer from his little brother.

"It's cool! Can I have my room done like this?" The child replied, bringing a genuine smiled to Seto's face.

"SETO!"

It vanished in an instant. He sprinted towards the sound of Tea's voice, skidded around the corner and rammed his shoulder into what was evidently the door to her bedroom. The wood broke with a satisfying _crunch!_ and within seconds Seto had assessed the situation.

Tea was in the centre of the room, one arm twisted painfully around behind her, the other wrestling with the muscular figure who held his hand firmly around the lower half of her face. Her bright blue eyes wide, but her brow as furrowed in concentration as she fought off her enemy.

Seto reached out to his left and his hand came into contact with a large wooden shaft. Perfect. He stepped forwards, bringing the hockey stick behind him and taking a sharp cricket-style hook-shot to the stomach of Tea's assailant.

The hockey stick broke before he did. Seto looked at the splintered stick in his hand, and swore violently. The dark suited henchman was obviously a lot tougher than Seto had bargained on. He took a moment to glance around the room for any other useful weapons, but short of strangling the fellow with the sleeves of a denim jacket there wasn't much around. He didn't have much time for anything else as he quickly found himself the next target. Tea was thrown unceremoniously across the room, where she hit the wall with a painful thump. She gave a small moan and put a hand tentatively to her head.

Blinking, she cleared her fuzzy vision in time to see Seto darting out of the room, her assailant hot on his heels. "Shit." She murmured, getting to her feet and promptly closing her eyes. _If I have a concussion…_ she thought miserably, focusing her mind onto the task at hand, which conveniently could be described in two simple words: Help Seto.

She threw her rucksack of packed clothes on her back and stumbled through the door and into the hallway, grasping the rim of a very expensive and heavy vase, and lifting it with an almighty effort. She was about to turn the corner and arrive at Seto's aid when a second pair of arms wrapped themselves around her torso. She twisted out of reach and put her newfound weapon to good use, bowling it into the stomach of her captor where it shattered with a satisfying crunch.

She ran into her lounge to find both Seto and Mokuba engaged in hand-to-hand combat with several men dressed in sleek black singlets and cargos. Seto raised his hand in defence and twisted for a well aimed kick at his opponent's chest, but he found that his leg was caught and he was spun around onto his stomach. He rolled out of the way and onto his feet where he evened the score with an uppercut punch.

Mokuba was like a terrier, harrying at his adversaries without end. He aimed precise blows at his opponents, retracting his fists immediately back into a defensive barricade around his face- a tactic which seemed to work very well for him. Despite his young age, he had experienced a growth spurt in the last two years, making him just as formidable an opponent as Seto.

But Tea didn't have time for meaningless fights. She ran forwards, dodging the henchmen that surged her way, stepping up onto the edge of her couch and leaping out of reach towards the doorway. Seeing a blonde male run towards the door, Seto darted over, pushing the man's shoulder down and driving his knee into the helpless assailant's chest, pushing Tea and Mokuba out of the door, tossing Mokuba the car keys with one hand and jerking his elbow backwards into the jaw of the fifth henchman before making a dash for the car and leaping inside the driver's seat, his hand naturally finding the gear stick and his foot on the accelerator in order to reverse the hell outta there!

They sped out of the drive, Tea throwing directions at Seto, until they reached the freeway, at which point the three friends fell silent, letting their racing hearts slow down.

Mokuba rubbed his arms ruefully, having taken a fair few blows, watching as purple bruises began to surface. He sighed ruefully and turned around from the passenger seat. "You had better have got your stuff, Tea." He said, unable to keep the grin from his face.

She held up her rucksack. "Don't worry, Mokie. I wouldn't let you two take down five black belts and leave you with nothing." She returned the kid's smile.

"It was nothing. Seto's been teaching us self defence. He did some research on the internet and his security guards show him how to handle himself, isn't that right Seto?"

The driver remained silent.

Mokuba looked at him expectantly, and then rolled his eyes when no reply was forthcoming. "Well, it's important to defend ourselves- 'cause, let's face it: not everyone's got a deck of dual monsters cards! And with everything that's happened, well… what can I say?"

Tea agreed whole heartedly with that one. "Perhaps you'll teach me a few things. Looks like I'm gonna need it from now on, hey?"

Mokuba frowned. "I mean, I knew something was gonna happen- it figures what with it being your house and all- but I sure didn't expect five professionals!"

Seto nodded. "We'll need to boost security if we're going to have a repeat performance of that on Thursday night for one thing." He noted aloud, putting an end to all conversation.

* * *

Phewf!! Well that one's pretty long! Sorry for the delay (i've been chockablock with my summer job and I've also spent a good portion of writing time beefing out my outline so I know exactly what i've got to write in each chapter- and then I realised that I had a lot to write in this chap!!), and sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I won't be able to update this weekend 'cause I'm off to the coast with a mate and my little baby cousin!! It'll be the first time she's gone to the beach (my cousin that is, not my mate xD) so it's all very exciting!

It's 12:30 am here in Aussie- best writing is done at night I tells ya! Anyway, seeing as I'm going away, I'll leave you with a website to keep you occupied (well, it sure keeps me occupied at any rate. In fact, I have the blimp song playing now. I would turn it off, but its catchy and I'm writing this.) Anyhoo, you may have heard of it: www . weebls-stuff . com

Yes. It's the guy who made BadgerBadgerBadger!

You need to get a Blimp! hehehehehe...

Anyway, ta raa for now, chaps!!


	6. Aftermath

WOW! I've set myself a record. And even though I told myself I wouldn't start on this chapter tonight (yeah, I'm writing the authors note and 1:10 am Aussie time. I just can't sleep!

ANYWAY, chapter six and this fics the record for my longest so far! And I can assure you I have NO intention of giving up: THANK YOU MY FRIENDS! I honestly owe this entirely to you! I've never been so motivated! WOOT!

But as I'm trying to get to sleep, I think we'll start off with something a little less heart racing!

**Disclaimer:** Yu Gi Oh is not mine. sigh

Edit: OH! And I've found a song that (sortof) describes Seto. It's "For the First Time" by U2. It's what I listened to when I wrote the first part of this chapter. Very calming. It fits the mood quite well, I think. Anyway, on with the show!

* * *

It was nearing six o'clock, and Tea was basking in the glorious rays of the sunset in the kitchen, a glass of water in hand, when Seto entered, heading straight for the freezer. He pulled out an ice pack, and wrapped it in a thin towel and retreated into the lounge. Tea watched him in silence, and rose from her seat, leaving her glass behind and followed her host from the room. 

"Seto? Everything okay?" She asked, brow furrowed in concern. He turned, already making his way to the stair case, his eyes wide for a moment.

"Fine." He replied, turning back to go upstairs. Tea broke into a swift jog and caught up, putting a hand on his shoulder. He flinched slightly, but didn't walk away.

"If you were fine, you wouldn't have an ice pack in your hand." She pointed out, releasing him from her grasp, and lifting his shirt sleeve, revealing a large purple bruise on his bicep. She winced. "Here, let me get-"

But he had shrugged her off and was heading upstairs. "It's for Mokuba, if you must know." He explained, allowing her to follow him to his little brother's room. Before entering, Seto gave her a very hard look. "He went through a lot to help you." Seto said, leaving her no chance to reply before he opened the door.

Mokuba was sat, shirtless, on the end of his bed, bruising snaking around his body like tattoos, the worst on his arms and shoulders where he had blocked attacks. He grinned. "Hi, Tea!"

Tea's hand flew to her mouth, and she walked over to the bed, kneeling down beside it. "I'm so sorry, Mokie!" She said, carefully lifting up one of his arms and surveying the damage. The child shrugged her off.

"Oh, it's fine! I can't feel anything!" He said, and then took a look at the horrified expression on Tea's face. "I mean, it doesn't hurt- I can feel my arm." He clarified. "Besides, I'm not half as bad as Seto!"

Tea's head snapped round, her eyes searching Kaiba's face accusingly. The CEO shot his brother a silencing look. "What happened to Seto?" She asked, rising from the floor and standing opposite the nine-teen year old, her face still turned towards Mokuba

When the child avoided her eyes and glanced away, she turned to Seto, capturing his gaze with her bright blue eyes. "What happened to you?" She asked, her voice quiet with concern.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Seto tossed Mokuba the ice pack and swept out of the room, heading not downstairs, but up, into his home study.

Tea glanced at Mokuba. "You should go after him." The younger said, and with no further encouragement, Tea was gone.

---

Seto stood facing the window. He would have sat down, but the huge blue mark across his ribs and abdomen prevented it. The uneven shape ran from just above his pelvic bone around his side and up to his last rib- the work of a well aimed kick from a very solid boot.

The door creaked open behind him, and he needn't have turned to guess who it was. "Tea, I've said it before, you don't need to-" but he paused.

She crossed the room in silence, and her hand had snaked around the arm she had grasped earlier, and she rested her cheek against his shoulder. He stayed perfectly still, caught in her awkward embrace. After a moment, she sighed, and passed her hand gently down his arm, causing his muscle to shiver slightly under her touch. She slid around him, carefully inspecting him for any injuries. She glanced timidly into his eyes, and tugged up his shirt, exposing the bruising.

She said nothing, but her brow creased, and she blinked rapidly, clearing her eyes of guilty tears. She placed her palm over the bruise, and though he found it uncomfortable at first, Seto had to admit, the cold from her hands was certainly soothing.

And then, almost as though she knew her hand was heating up and becoming less useful, she replaced his shirt and instead wrapped her arms around his body in a fragile embrace.

In the smallest voice, she spoke. "Thank you, Seto."

---

Mai Valentine had handled a gun once before in her life. She had been clay pigeon shooting at the time, and she had missed only twice. However, shooting a round pottery disk was vastly different to operating a fully operational machine gun, and while she was perfectly capable of blowing opponents away on the duelling field, the thought of literally doing so was nauseating to her.

So, she stayed behind Joey, who in all honesty wasn't feeling particularly confident himself, keeping her gun cocked, but not active.

"Where are we going?" She asked in a hissed whisper, her eyes constantly scanning their rear.

Joey paused before answering. "Not entirely sure. We have to find Yugi and Tristan before we can get out of here."

"Yugi and Tristan are here?" Mai said, lowering her gun in surprise.

Joey lifted the nose of her weapon back to a defensive position and nodded. "Yugi went missing first, and Tristan and I took the liberty of finding him. We were caught at the same time." Joey explained.

The pair crept down the corridor and followed the route around a corner and into what appeared to be a courtyard of sorts. A wide, square shaped area connected several tunnels, each wall sporting a door to small dimly lit rooms. Joey looked around, checking that the coast was clear before jogging into the centre of the room. He turned a full circle, observing his environment. Content with the layout, he ran towards a randomly selected door, and peered through the window…

---

Tristan glared knives at the grey suited, gut totting interviewer in front of him. He was hand-cuffed to a chair, and didn't much appreciate it. Unfortunately though, he was not in much of a position to do anything about it.

The gun remained trained on Tristan's chest as the questioner spoke in a deceptively calm voice. "Tristan Taylor, I will ask you this only once more. _Where is Serenity Wheeler?_"

Tristan grinned. "Ironic, isn't it, that you come in here threatening me with the one thing I wouldn't be afraid of." He said, tilting his head to one side in a false pretence of deep thought. "You can't shoot me until I actually _give_ you an answer- which doesn't really increase my motive here. And seeing as Joey has no idea where his sister is, you don't really have much of an option here do you, Mr Reynolds?" Tristan smirked at the guard's expression.

"How did you find out my name?" Reynolds hissed violently, flicking the safety cap off his gun.

Tristan's eyes flashed playfully. "Oh, you know. Word gets around when you're underground." In truth, he had heard the security discussing his position from inside his cell, and the questioner had been frequently referred to as Reynolds. But it was so much more menacing if Tristan had a few bargaining chips of his own.

Reynolds ignored the teenager. "It is irrelevant. You have three seconds to answer. And then," He fired a shot that skimmed Tristan's left ear. "I will aim more to the right."

Tristan's jaw clenched. He had given Serenity directions to his aunt's house, forcing her to promise that if they didn't return in six hours, she would head immediately to the sanctuary. He had done so without Joey's knowledge, so only one life would be at risk in this plan- his own.

"Take your best shot." He spat, contempt written all over his face.

Reynolds obliged, training his pistol on Tristan's forehead. The kid squirmed out of the way, leaning to one side and craning his neck towards the door, and the guard gave a maliciously short chuckle. "Not so tough are you now, boy?" He took a moment to smirk in satisfaction. They were always afraid of death, in the end.

"You have no idea." Tristan said, still leaning over, his eyes fixed on a familiar face in the window of the door.

Reynolds let out a primal growl and pulled his trigger. Tristan veered sideways, narrowly dodging the bullet and two more gun shots rang out from behind the beefy interviewer.

Mai had blown the lock on the door, and Joey had fired a very neat shot into the back of Reynolds' head, felling him in one shot.

"You guys sure took your sweet time." Tristan said, breathing heavily. "Talk about waiting for dramatic effect."

"Sorry, mate." Joey said, kneeling next to Reynolds and searching for a key inside the dead man's jacket. He found one and unlocked Tristan's cuffs. "So what did he want with you anyway?"

The eighteen year-old stood up and rubbed his wrist, raising his eyes to Joey. "They want to know where Serenity is."

Joey's smiled faltered. "Serenity? Why? What's she done?" He paused, and a wave of confusion cleansed his face of anger for a moment. "But why _you_? Doesn't it make more sense to ask her brother?"

A guilty smile flashed across Tristan's face. "I told them you'd fallen out and hadn't spoken in years… and…" He flushed, "I may have mentioned that we were engaged."

"You're lying, aren't you?" Joey said through clenched teeth. Suddenly he was very reluctant to give Tristan the benefit of the doubt.

Tristan nodded, eyes wide. "Of course! Hey, I was playing the game." He said defensively. "Besides, I know she's safe. I gave her directions to my Aunt's place. It's about an hour of Domino; no one would think to find her there. And I don't think these guys do much research beyond our immediate family. I figured if we didn't come back, she'd be in need of a safe-house."

Joey blinked twice. "You thought of that before we left?!" He asked, amazed. His friend nodded. There was a pause and Joey put a hand awkwardly on Tristan's shoulder. "I hate to say it, but you're not the worst guy my sis' coulda fallen for."

The blush returned to Tristan's face, and he shrugged modestly. "Well, y'know. You'd do the same. Besides, we gotta concentrate on gettin' the heck outta here!"

---

Seto could feel her body move as she breathed, the light pressure and release calming him despite his awkwardness. Her fingertips rested lightly on his back, and her cheek fit comfortably between his shoulder and collar bone. She shivered suddenly, and he let out a long sigh, and as he did so, he felt his arms naturally envelope her in warmth. They stood for a moment longer, Seto so absorbed in his thoughts and so comfortable in their embrace that for a second he forgot that it was Tea Gardener who had so delicately broken down his icy barrier.

That second ended quickly. He blinked, releasing her from his grasp, and taking a cautionary step backwards. He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice had deserted him and he made a sound that was somewhere between a hoarse cough and words. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Tea, what are you doing?" He asked, somewhat dreading the answer.

The girl in front of him- two years his junior, he remembered, frowning- blushed deeply, letting her short hair fall over her face. "You helped me. You could have let them take me."

Seto blinked. "You're no good to me dead." He replied evenly, his voice devoid of emotion from years of practise.

Tea shook her head. "You could have had any number of guards escort me." She clarified. "But _you_ helped me. And look at you. You didn't exactly get off Scott-free." She motioned his abdomen, and then gave a cheeky smile. "You're quite the Hercules." She said.

The corner of his mouth twitched upwards as he gave a single chuckle. "It was cost effective." He smirked.

Tea raised her eyebrows, becoming irritated. Why couldn't he just admit he was a half decent person? What was so terribly wrong with doing something 'just because?' "And that was the only thing going through you mind at the time? You heard me yell and you thought 'it's more cost effective if I handle this myself'?"

Seto frowned deeply. "Miss Gardener-"

"Don't pull a 'Miss Gardener' on me, Seto! I will not be pushed away because you aren't man enough to admit that for once in your life you were inclined to help out someone who doesn't bear the last name Kaiba!" And with that, she left him alone in his study, which, ironically, is where he would have much preferred to have been in the first place.

Seto heard the door slam, and he sighed deeply, pressing a hand to his forehead. Truth be told, only one thing had gone through his mind at that time. Conveniently, it could be summed up in two very short words: Help Tea.

* * *

WELL! Christmas time is the time for giving, and what better to give than the first Tea/Seto scene! I know it's a bit short, and a bit round-about but I really wanted to post SOMETHING before Christmas! Consider this my little present to all who reviewed/alerted/faved! You guys are the BOMB.

My weekend trip was highly inspiring (not just because of the SCORCHER of a bloke who was in the pool on Saturday arvo- dark beachy-hair, tanned and only the best set of abs I've seen in my life. Unfortunately, being the complete ditz that I am, I just sunk. Literally, I dived for cover so that no one would notice me drooling.) But also because my mate and I got up at a ridiculously early hour of the morning (2:45am) on Sunday to watch the sunrise on the beach!

T'was beautiful. However, it also meant that I fell asleep at 6:00pm. Ah well.

Merry Christmas everyone, and I'll be posting stuff later this week when all the excitement has died down/ I have recovered from the amount of food I will surely eat!


	7. The Art of Rejecting a Business Deal

Chapter seven folks, and to recap:

_"Don't pull a 'Miss Gardener' on me, Seto! I will not be pushed away because you aren't man enough to admit that for once in your life you were inclined to help out someone who doesn't bear the last name Kaiba!" And with that, she left him alone in his study, which, ironically, is where he would have much preferred to have been in the first place. _

_Seto heard the door slam, and he sighed deeply, pressing a hand to his forehead. Truth be told, only one thing had gone through his mind at that time. Conveniently, it could be summed up in two very short words: Help Tea. _

Nawr. Theys so cute really.

Anyway, on with the show!

**Disclaimer: **I am a lowly Fanfic writer, which, in itself proclaims me devoid of any ownership. Poopy.

* * *

Seto Kaiba rose early enough on Monday that he did not have to encounter Tea before he left for Kaiba Corp. He had left a note for his brother instructing him to remain at home and teach Tea how to handle herself should she find herself in any further danger, in the vain hope that it would keep his guest's mind off the events of the previous night. The last thing he needed after a stressful day in his office surrounded by codes upon codes of intense programming was returning to a highly irritated seventeen year old girl. 

With his mind filled with these thoughts of trepidation, he barely noticed the young male enter his office and brazenly take a seat opposite the CEO. He looked up to check the time and found his view of the clock blocked by the dark brown eyes of said male. Kaiba gave a disapproving hum.

"Seto Kaiba." The male said, smiling in an irritatingly friendly fashion. "Blake Draschet." He held out a hand.

Kaiba ignored it, and frowned. "Are you lost? Or do you have a legitimate reason for wasting my time?" He asked icily.

"I'm here to see you about a very important business opportunity."

"I'm not interested." Kaiba replied, turning back to his computer. He finished another command and glanced back towards the intruder. "That was your cue to leave." He clarified, indicating the door.

"I have no intention of leaving, Mr Kaiba." And as he spoke, something about Draschet's eyes hardened; they become suddenly menacing. The good looks the black haired twenty-something year old sported flashed with an expression of immense dislike- one that Kaiba had seen enough times to find amusing rather than intimidating.

"The fact has become obvious seeing as you are still sat in front of me." Seto sighed, saving his work. "Enlighten me." He said, in a very bored drone.

"Excellent." Draschet nodded, his now obviously false innocence returning to him. "I knew you'd come around. That is to say, most people end up sharing my views on what is best."

Even Kaiba couldn't miss that thinly veiled threat. He scowled. "Get to the point." He demanded. "Before I have you forcibly removed."

"Temper, temper!" The male chided him. Seto reached for the cordless phone that sat on his desk, and Draschet changed his tune. "No! I apologise. It was only in jest." He bowed his head respectfully. Seto did not respond. "I represent the Dalton Products company. We operate-"

"Near the docks, yes. You're an electrical retailer. I know." Seto interrupted, looking pointedly towards the clock.

"Well, my seniors have wind of a new product you are releasing, and we would like to enter into a business deal with you as your supplier."

Seto smirked. "Kaiba Corp _is_ its own supplier. We do everything ourselves here, the same way I built the company. We are not interested. However, if you would like to purchase shares, we are currently ranked second in the market for value for money. Our company strives to rectify this as soon as possible."

Daschet's expression hardened. "Not for one product?" He asked politely.

"Kaiba Corp's latest product has its first official launch at a business event on Thursday night. Your offer is too late."

"May we receive an invite?" Daschet pushed the line to breaking point.

Seto fixed him with a stare. "We invite only serious businesses. I am not interested, and I don't know how you managed to make your way to my office without being stopped. Obviously you matter is not urgent and is pitifully under-researched. I will ask you to leave my office only once."

Knowing his chances were blown, the male left his seat and walked calmly out the door, shutting it behind him quietly. Seto waited a few moments before hitting the speed-dial to his secretary. "Why was a Blake Daschet granted access to my office without an affirmation from me?" He hissed violently.

The voice on the other end did not give him much comfort. "Blake Draschet? Never heard of him, Mr Kaiba."

Seto blinked. His secretary sat immediately outside his office. Security cameras and voice, finger print and retainer scan software guarded the CEO from unwanted visitors. Mr Draschet could not have reached Seto without some finely tuned skills of persuasion- or some cold hard evidence that the millionaire wanted to see him in a private audience.

"Are you sure?" The young CEO asked. "He just walked right past you."

There was a pause from the other end of the line, and a very strained voice replied, "Sir, I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone pass by. Perhaps he called yesterday?"

Seto frowned. "Initiate lockdown and have security meet me on the ground floor." He said grimly, hanging up.

---

Seto Kaiba arrived in the entrance hall after taking the elevator from the fourty-third floor. It had taken him ten minutes to reach the ground, but it gave the Kaiba Corp security department time to gather in the foyer to await instructions.

"Damien!" Seto reached his chief of security, a grim look in his eye. "We are searching for Blake Draschet- a twenty year old man with dark hair, brown eyes. Perhaps an inch taller than myself. He was wearing a light blue polo shirt and slacks. He left my office at twelve fifteen, and I want him found."

"Yes, sir. Any particular reason?" Only two people felt comfortable questioning Kaiba's motives- Damien, and his secretary, Linda.

Kaiba looked around and answered quietly. "He arrived in my office searching for an invitation to Thursday's event. My secretary does not recall seeing him enter or leave the floor."

Damien's eyebrows rose. "And you are completely sure that-" He stopped at the murderous look in his employer's eye. "Very well, sir."

---

Three hours later, a somewhat irate Seto Kaiba received a call informing him that the Draschet character had indeed been present in his office, although by the time Seto had initiated the lockdown, he had left the building.

Seto let out a long slow breath, his fingers pressed to the bridge of his nose. "Thanks, Damien." He said wearily into the phone. "Free the building." He instructed, hanging up, and returning to his laptop, where copious amounts of last-minute test results and experiments were awaiting his approval. He scrolled through the numerous positive outcomes, becoming more confident in his new Dual Disk simulation system by the moment.

He glanced at the clock. Half past three. He sighed. Another five hours of work to go before he could head home. His deep blue eyes glazed over for a split second, and for a brief moment he was in his home study again, and Tea was standing opposite him, her breath lightly brushing his face. Had she really been that close? He hadn't realised…

An error message brought him back to alertness, and his frown deepened. He was CEO of a hugely successful company, for Christ's sakes. He shouldn't be having pointless day dreams about a girl who was as likely to turn around and declare her undying love for him as she was to turn into a farmyard animal of some sort. Not that he wanted her to. She was an irritating hindrance to him, a constant pain-in-the-neck who couldn't let him rest in his own house for fear of having his deepest thoughts brutally analysed in front of his face.

All the same, it did cross his mind whether or not Mokuba was following his instructions to teach Tea self-defence.

---

Tea raised the gun to eye level once more, and pulled the trigger, missing the bull's-eye by a fraction of a centimetre. Mokuba applauded heartily.

"Tea you're awesome!" He said happily, handing her a bullet to reload.

She glanced sideways, her face stern. "I am imagining that it is your brother's head on the target." She said, with an icy cold in her voice that could have matched Seto's.

Mokuba rolled his eyes. She had spent the best part of the morning in a foul mood, and after he had approached her with a gife of truce in the form of a cup of coffee, she had briefly explained the events of the previous night- well, she had ranted about his lack of sensitivity for half an hour, somehow managing to avoid the important details. "Tea, you should know as well as anyone that Seto is not the world's deepest thinker. He doesn't… express himself very well. I'm sure he didn't mean to offend you." The younger Kaiba fumbled for words to describe his sibling.

"It's sweet of you to defend him," She said, firing another shot that landed dangerously close to the tiny red circle in the centre of her human-shaped target, "but it's not your fault he's so- damn-narrow-minded!"

The four shots she released with each word slammed randomly into the target, completely ruining her winning streak. Mokuba winced, and lowered her weapon for her.

"How about we move onto something a little less… violent?"

---

Joey, Mai and Tristan had well and truly raised the alarm now. They had run into a troupe of guards, fired several poorly-aimed warning shots and made a break for it. They were quite sure that they were following a path to freedom, judging by the steep slope they were sprinting up.

However, free was not where they wanted to be at the moment. In an ideal world, they would have found Yugi unguarded, and with the help of his millennium puzzle, would have made a fantastically heroic escape, preferably one which involved some very witty banter and a very large explosion.

Sadly, life was not as intent on following the format of a James Bond film, not matter how many lines Joey could recite by heart. Instead, the threesome found themselves swiftly following a corridor which led, inevitably to a large troupe of typically large- and most likely very slow- security muscles. Joey raised his gun and fired a shot on the run.

It bounced pitifully off the lead male's Teflon jacket. "Shit." Joey hissed, looking sideways nervously at Tristan.

The brunette winked at his friend. "They can't kill us. We're too valuable right now." He said, flicking the safety catch off his gun as he ran.

As predicted, they sprinted in full view up the corridor, and no bullets were released. Instead, it seemed the guards were preparing themselves for hand-to-hand combat. Obviously they intended on simply catching the escapees and dumping them right back in the prison cells they came from.

Mai had no intention of letting them do that. She arrived in full swing, bowling into one of the guards and pushing him backwards with her momentum. The butt of her gun smashed the jaw of another, and she heard a gunshot ring out to her left.

"See how you like THAT, tough-guy! I'd like to see you try and grab me with that arm!" Came Tristan's triumphant call.

Heartened by her friends' success, Mai pushed her way through the guards, hitting the release tap of the door. It slid upwards, revealing a totally clear passageway to an elevator, which, logically, would lead to ground level.

"That way!" Mai gasped, digging her knee into a tender area of the closest guard and sprinting off, adrenaline fuelling her to safety.

The boys followed her into the lift, hitting the top floor button to be safe and keeping their guns cocked as more security appeared from the end of the corridor and sprinted forwards. The doors closed with a pneumatic hiss, and the three let out a breath.

From a speaker above them, a cheery loungeroom melody played, its irritatingly repetitive riff burning itself into their minds- until Joey had the good sense to blast the speaker from the wall.

"Thank you." Mai said tritely, stating blankly ahead.

They reached the top level and the speaker gave a dying rumble of static, a distorted female voice informing that they had reached the "Top. Level."

They stepped from the elevator into what appeared to be a very nicely adorned office area. It was divided up into cubicles, each furnished with a standard office desk and swivel chair, the monitors of the macintosh computers blank.

"Weird, huh?" Tristan said, stepping forwards.

"Where d'you think we are?" Joey agreed, inspecting one of the cubicles.

"Not sure, but we're on tape." Mai indicated the small black tinted domes on the roof that betrayed the position of the security cameras.

Joey smiled at the camera, and made a remarkably rude hand gesture. "I've always wanted to do that." He said happily, leaving the office cubicle to walk around the outside.

The trio reached the end of the office block, and followed a small corridor to their right. A small flight of stairs revealed another door, which they opened carefully to find a deserted room.

Joey stepped in first, Mai close behind and Tristan taking the rear. The room was simple. A single desk sat facing an expansive view of Domino City Docklands. The sun was just setting, sending a bright orange glow into the room. But it was not the view which captured the attention of the trio, it was the pyramid-shaped gold pendant that sat on the corner of the desk.

"It's a trap." Tristan said immediately, holding out an arm to stop Joey and Mia walking forwards.

"That's Yugi's puzzle!" Joey exclaimed. "Any trap's worth getting caught in if we get that back!"

Tristan looked uneasily at the object, refusing to move his arm. "And if it's a fake, we'll have wrecked all that progress."

Mai stepped around the desk, peering out of the window at the five storey drop below them. "Can we tell if it's real?" She asked. "Surely the spirit can give us some indication if he's in there."

Joey cocked his head to one side. "Perhaps. But I don't really know how this thing works. I mean, the spirit usually hangs out in Yugi's mind. I have trouble telling when he takes over Yugi as it is! Perhaps he's trapped somewhere else?"

Tristan ground his teeth together. "Well, listen up, Pharaoh!" He said loudly, his eyes fixed on the puzzle. "If you're in there, can you let us know?"

Mai let out a gasp from her position at the window. "Guys! There's a load more security geeks coming in!"

Joey looked anxiously towards the Millenium Item. "No rush or anything, but it'll only take a minute or two to get up here!"

As if in reply, the puzzle glowed brightly for a second. "Good enough for me!" Joey exclaimed, snatching the puzzle from the desk.

The door through which they had entered immediately sealed itself, and the trio found themselves trapped.

"Any other way out?" Mai asked, as an alarm flared up outside in the cubicle area.

Tristan grabbed the chair and smashed the glass in front of her. "There is now." He said, looking down uncertainly.

The sound of the elevator arriving at the fifth floor and the thudding of boots on carpet galvanised Joey into action. He ran forwards, puzzle in hand, and leapt out of the window, pulling Tristan and Mai with him.

* * *

Just before I go, that little elevator part was a nod to both the Mr & Mrs Smith, a movie which I found hilarious- particularly the part where, after a very intense fire-fight, the two heroes walk into an elevator where irritatingly happy music plays- and a little in-joke I have with my friends. (If we walk into a store and hear a particularly bad song playing, we turn around to face the speaker and pull out invisible guns with which to shoot it. Sadly this never works.) 

Hope you all had a very festive Christmas this year! As always, my solid appreciation goes out to all who are still keeping up with the story, and, of course, to all you guys out there who have given me such wonderfully supportive reviews! I hereby dedicate this fic to all of you!


	8. Not all Rainbows and Sunshine

Chapter what, seven now- NO! EIGHT! Wow! I'm so PUMPED! The Christmas cheer has died down a bit now, and I'm actually quite pleased with how on track I've become with this fic. It's a very unusual occurrence. I've even had a bit of inspiration for another fic revolving around Seto. However, I will wait until I've finished this one before I write it, 'cause I REALLY don't want to leave this one in the to-do pile!!

No-sir-ee!

And to everyone reading, yes YOU! Whether you're a reviewer or not, the fact that you're still here reading means a LOT to me! Thanks a BILLION TRILLION er… Qurillion?

Anyway, I think it's time we caught up with Yugi, seeing as he's going through a hell on earth at the moment. sniffle Gosh, I hate to do this to characters, but our baddie is as awful as they come (there's nothing worse than a Bad Guy who turns soft half way through) and here, I'll prove it:

(And the usual spiel is as follows:)

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Yu Gi Oh. Nor do I pwn/pwnerate it.

* * *

Yugi's head lolled to one side. He had most certainly seen better days. His small prison cell did not afford the luxuries of a bed and bathroom facilities like Joey and Mai's. Instead, Yugi was left in an extremely small area, one half filled with freezing cold water for bathing, and the other hard and unforgiving concrete. 

The seventeen year old was weak beyond comprehension. His weariness reached to his bones, and he lay curled in a very tight ball, shivering in the corner nearest the door, exhaustion lulling him into an uncomfortable and nightmarish sleep.

The slam of metal on concrete woke him, and he slowly rubbed bleary eyes, taking care not to irritate his black eye, looking at the light pouring in from the doorway.

"Yugi Motou, the boss wants a word." A security guard grabbed his arm roughly, pulling him to his feet. He surveyed the broken teenager critically. "And we'll have to organise a clean up for you. Highly disrespectful of you to present like a peasant."

Yugi had no fight left in him to argue. If it meant a shower and some fresh clothes, he would endure endless amounts of verbal abuse. He trudged alongside the guard, his arm numb to the harshly tight grip. After a short walk, he was tossed unceremoniously into a bathroom cubicle.

"Clean yourself." The guard's rough voice sliced painfully through Yugi's thoughts, although the teenager complied without question.

He had never been so grateful for the hot water. As he turned off the tap, a towel and a reasonably smart outfit consisting of denim jeans and a light coloured shirt was thrown over the door. Yugi took them wordlessly, too tired to express his thanks, and afraid that any sign of gratefulness would mean a prompt removal of his small prizes.

He pulled on the jeans and buttoned the shirt, leaving his singlet and torn blue pants on the floor, glad, for once, to be rid of them.

He emerged, still weary, but feeling in much higher spirits that before. He allowed the guard to frogmarch him from the bathroom and towards an elevator. Yugi looked around him. There seemed to have been quite a commotion here. Bullet holes in the walls and doors told the story of a fight of some kind.

Yugi had to admit he felt a small surger of savage satisfaction- as a rule, he didn't like violence at all, but he was willing to make an exception in this case.

His escort pushed him into the elevator and pressed the top level. They waited in silence. Yugi noticed a speaker on the floor. "What happened here?" he asked curiously.

"Speaker fell." The guard lied, leaving no opening for Yugi to reply.

The lift reached the top floor and opened into a wide room filled with office cubicles. However, this was not their final destination; the guard marched Yugi around a corner, up several stairs and left him outside the door to another office area.

Yugi entered, scowling as he recognised the dark haired male standing by the window, which was sporting a gaping hole. He remained silent.

The door closed behind him and the click of the latch sliding into place alerted the male to Yugi's presence. "Mr Motou. Nice of you to join me." He said turning. He pulled a sympathetic face at the sigh of Yugi's bruised face and broken nose. "Looks like you've been in the wars, young man! What a shame. It's a pity, isn't it, that it could have been prevented if you'd have just given me some simple instructions."

Yugi scowled, loosing his patience. "I can't communicate with the Pharaoh without having the puzzle!" He growled. "And even if you did give me the puzzle, I would hardly make an effort! What do you say to that, Draschet?"

Blake smirked, and took a seat, leaning forwards in his chair. "I say, 'I'm not so stupidly naïve as to believe you.'" He laughed maliciously. "And, lucky for you, you won't have to demonstrate. The puzzle has recently gone missing."

Yugi's heart skipped a beat. "What?" he said hoarsely.

"Yes, young Yugi. Your Egyptian friend has deserted you and taken himself off, without stopping to rescue you."

Yugi frowned. "The puzzle doesn't work that way. Yami can't just get up and move himself. He needs me to do that."

Draschet's dangerously mad grin never faded. "Well then, it's safe to assume that your friends took it while they made their escape."

Yugi's eyes turned gleeful. His friends had escaped? That was fantastic news! Now Draschet had nothing to bargain with! Yugi let out a triumphant yelp. "You're a fool to bring me such good news." He said confidently, a challenging smile surfacing on his face. "Now you can no longer threaten me with their lives!"

But Yugi's opponent simply arched his fingers. "Is that so? You might be interested to know that we still have tight security on your grandfather, and we have by no means lost track of the escapees. It seems Mr Wheeler, Mr Taylor and Miss Valentine's luck will only last so long. And when they return, they will sorely regret leaving."

Yugi's smile faded. Not completely safe, then. But at least it was one step closer towards salvation. "You are loosing your grip, Draschet." Yugi replied. "Your feeble excuses don't scare me. My grandfather may still be at your mercy, but no amount of surveillance is ever going to hurt my friends."

Draschet smiled. "You've got balls, Yugi, I'll give you that." He chuckled. "I think it's time we upgraded your accommodation."

Yugi frowned at this. He was not looking forward to this turn of events.

"Why so sour, Yugi? At least you'll have a screen to watch now."

Draschet stood and grasped Yugi's wrist, his fingers looped in a strong circle around the young boy's arm. Yugi was pulled from the room, and found himself minutes later in a much more civilised prison than his last.

A small camp bed took up one corner, and a small screen discretely hid the amenities. But it was the wall that drew Yugi's attention. It was filled with a giant screen- and Yugi was immediately cautious. He had a gut feeling he wouldn't enjoy watching whatever footage Draschet was planning on showing him.

"Well, Yugi. Home sweet home, isn't it?" Draschet spread his arms wide. "Oh, it's no holiday home, but this is free accommodation. I hope you enjoy the entertainment- and don't forget," he indicated a black dome in the corner of the room. "I can see you, so don't try anything."

And with that, the door slammed shut behind Yugi. The teen looked towards the screen for a moment, afraid it would begin playing straight away. But it remained blank, and he crawled gratefully into the bed, falling back into his deep slumber, a little more peacefully than last time.

---

When Seto Kaiba returned home at half past eight, it was not to a quiet house. The muffled sound of Mokuba and Tea engaged in a heated fight came from the second floor, and Kaiba turned at the door to wave his chauffeur away.

He made his way upstairs to watch the two, and found them throwing playful blows at each other. Mokuba was dodging Tea with ease- until she threw a punch towards his shoulder, and lifted her leg in a kick to his waist. He toppled, caught off balance by the double-hit, and she immediately dropped her defensive stance and held out a hand to help him up.

"I'm so sorry! Are you alright?! I didn't hit a bruise, did I?" She asked, biting her lip.

Mokuba groaned in pain, and she winced- and then his face broke into a grin. "Gotcha!" He yelled, giggling. His eyes found Seto and he laughed. "Hi, big brother!" He said cheerfully. "She's getting good, huh?"

Seto nodded once, directing a small smile at Mokuba. Tea stood up and turned to him, and her face turned cold. "Evening, Kaiba." She said.

He frowned. Obviously she hadn't had the same regrets as himself during the day. "Tea." He answered her, evenly.

Her eyebrows rose a fraction at his word of truce. Mokuba brushed past his brother, leaving the two alone. "I'm just gonna hit the shower!" He called back cheerfully.

Tea wouldn't meet his eyes. She knew that if she did, it would only achieve an insurmountable awkward silence between them. "You have something to say, Seto?" She asked.

He remained silent for a moment, wondering how to compose his thoughts into a meaningful sentence. "I understand that… last night I may have been a bit harsh with you." His voice was very quiet, but she heard him all the same.

She took a step closer, timidly, her anger with him evaporating instantly. Even she could tell that admitting his own error was a difficult thing for Seto Kaiba to achieve. "I forgive you." She said, equally as quietly. "And, Seto, I do appreciate your help. With my friends. I know you're not particularly fond of them- Joey, in particular. It's… it's really generous of you." She added, finally looking up into his eyes. She was caught in those deep pools of blue for a moment, and then she glanced away.

"You're quite welcome." He told her, smiling. "I'll let you take a shower before dinner. If Mokuba's been pushing you this hard all day, you'll need it."

She nodded, and brushed past him, her hand just catching his on her way through the door. She turned towards him, a blush already rising on her cheeks. His eyes were innocently wide, and more than a little shocked. "Sorry, eh… I'll just…" She pointed to the staircase and left.

Kaiba followed her moments later, feeling very confused.

---

When Tea arrived downstairs, dressed in long baggy pyjamas, she found Seto and Mokuba laying out food on the table. She paused at the entrance to the dining hall and smiled, letting their relaxed lull of conversation fill the room. There was something beautiful about the two brothers' playful antics. Seto reached over and ruffled Mokuba's very thick hair, the hum of his voice warm and pleasant. The younger brother giggled and placed a dish on the table, reaching up to punch Seto lightly on the shoulder. Tea let out a small laugh as the elder Kaiba bent down so that his sibling could reach. Seto looked up and caught her eye. In a rare display of friendliness, he beckoned her to join them.

She did so, her warm smile echoed on Seto's normally harsh features. Not that it looked out of place- just pleasantly different. "See, Seto." She said, indicating his good humour. "You're not as cold as people give you credit for."

He raised an eyebrow. "What a backhanded compliment." He noted, heaping rice onto his plate. He handed her the spoon, and waited for Mokuba to add the satay dish to his meal.

"I would have thought you were used to them by now?" Tea accepted the spoon, snaking her hand subtly over Kaiba's as she received it. He withdrew, uneasy, his smile suddenly a little less open.

"So, big brother. Any interesting news from Kaiba Corp today?" Mokuba asked, cutting across the elder teens' conversation.

Kaiba nodded, swallowing his first bite. "Actually, Mokie, I did meet a real shady character…" He recounted the short meeting with Draschet, and Tea's brow furrowed.

"That's unusual. What did your secretary say when she saw the security tape?" Tea asked concernedly. "She must have felt terrible to have missed him completely."

Kaiba sighed. "She was confused more than anything. She stands by the fact that she saw no one arrive on the floor- and yet she let him in herself!"

"Hypnosis?" Mokuba suggested, one cheek bulging with chicken.

"Perhaps." Seto replied, turning to his meal. He shot a worried glance towards Tea. His suspicions led him to believe that this Draschet character was not the type of person to be lightly shrugged away. He had been taught to keep his enemies closer- or rather, he had read it as a child while studying for Gozaburo Kaiba, and decided that it was a good philosophy to live by.

They finished the meal, the conversation turning to much less daunting subjects, and by the end of the meal, their small talk was beginning to lull.

Mokuba yawned and stretched. "I'm going to my room." He said, rising and taking his plate through to the kitchen.

Seto sighed and stood as well. He waited until Mokuba left the room before turning to Tea. "Word, please. Once Mokie's gone upstairs."

Tea nodded, agreeing with questioning the frown that had spread on her host's face. She cleared her plates away, and helped Seto to bring through the serving dishes. Seto dismissed his brother from his washing-up duties, and waited until the thud of his footsteps on the stairs had died down before he turned to Tea.

"I have to be frank with you. That Draschet character could well be the guy we're after." Seto got straight to the point, his businesslike manner taking the fore. "If it is, we have an advantage- we can recognise him. Well, I can at any rate." Kaiba ran the hot water tap, filling the sink with soapy water and began to clean the plates that were too large for the dishwasher.

"You think so? Why would he be so obvious if it was him?" Tea asked. "I mean, I don't think he knows I'm here… and what does he want with you?"

Seto's frown deepened and he handed over the crockery to his guest, who was waiting with a tea towel to dry. "A good question. And, unfortunately, only time will tell. As the matter stands, however, we must be cautious."

He handed over the second plate to Tea, splashing some foam on her by accident.

She looked up and grinned. "Was that a challenge?" She asked, her eyes sparking playfully. She dried the item and then dipped her hand in the water, flicking it back at the CEO.

He looked down at the droplets of water on his shirt. "Is that your best shot?" He asked coolly, leaning backwards slightly in a cocky pose.

Her tongue poked out from between her teeth and she took a handful of water and tossed it in Kaiba's direction, soaking his shirt. "That was pretty close to it." She admitted. And then she realised that she had just drenched the President of Kaiba Corp in his own soap suds.

He gave her an amused look and darted forwards, grabbing her wrist and pulling her towards him. He found her surprisingly easy to catch- after years of tearing after Mokuba, Seto had become quite adept at hunting (and Mokuba equally skilled at running away). She let out a cry that was half laugh, half yelp as she was dragged backwards. He used the ladle he had just cleaned to pour water over her head, flattening her already wet hair and reversing the cleaning her shower had done less than an hour ago.

She turned around and thumped an irritated hand on his chest. She pulled a face as his shirt spurted water, and then fell about laughing. "Yuck!" She grinned, pulling away as she realised that by allowing him to grasp her in an embrace, he had soaked the front of her shirt. "You'd better let me borrow one of yours, mister, 'cause I'm not sleeping in this now!" She said, the bitter feelings she had felt towards him during the day forgotten and lost.

He smiled. "At least you've still got pants." He said, looking at her baggy trousers. He looked around at the mess on the floor, and sighed. "I suppose I'll have to clean this myself now?"

Tea's smile didn't waver for a second. "Well, if you wouldn't mind." She said cheekily. Dimly, she was aware that she was standing in the presence of Seto Kaiba, in his kitchen no less, drenched in the aftermath of a water fight brought on by manual labour.

Seto rolled his eyes and grabbed a mop from one of the many cupboards of the kitchen. "You'd make a rubbish housewife." He said, starting to wipe up the water.

Tea grinned across at him. "That'd alright," She said, "I don't intend to become a housewife any time soon. I won't have anyone lording it over me- especially if it means doing chores all day." She pulled a face of disapproval.

Kaiba nodded, squeezing the mop out into the sink. "A good philosophy." He agreed. He looked at her, as soaked as he was and grinned. "You look like a drowned rat." He said, his tone of voice polite and mild.

She grinned, and stepped closer, grasping his shirt and twisting it, spilling out water onto his trousers. "So do you." She said, admiring her handiwork. The President of Kaiba Corp gave her a very dark look, its effect ruined by the small smile he couldn't repress. She let his shirt fall, still knotted, and glanced at the clock

"It's half past nine." She sighed, looking towards Seto. He was undoing the knot in his shirt, careful to avoid the bruising around his midriff.

She wasn't exactly sure what had changed in the last minute, but when Seto looked up, she felt shy and the blush returned to her cheeks. "I'm still sorry about th-" She started to say, but he cut her off.

"That conversation has already been said." He told her. "And it looks like you'll need a new shirt." Seto genuinely surprised himself with that statement. True, his friendly actions may have worked in his ultimate favour- gained Tea's trust would be an important step if she was to willingly let him escort her to the Soirée on Thursday, but there was an unmistakable him of… well, he couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was, but it was far too friendly to be a ploy.

He walked briskly from the room. What was he doing wrestling her in the first place? That was a sport he usually reserved for himself and Mokuba. His brow furrowed as he climbed the stairs, Tea following behind in silence. Well, he'd give her a shirt, bid her goodnight- and then put an end to these ridiculous antics!

* * *

And t-t-t-that's all folks!

Well, for this chapter anyhoo! I seem to be deviating slighly from my outline- not missing things out, but rather adding things in! Hope you don't mind too much- although it is starting to lengthen the story more than I originally intended (which unfortunately means I have to wait a little longer to write the Soiree, which I'm REALLY looking forward to doing. I have a fair amount planned... heheheehe!) Anyway, enjoy, and I promise I'll get back on track next chap!


	9. For the First Time

Hallo there!

Just a note of interest: If any of you are wondering why Tea and Mokuba aren't at school… it's, um…. The holidays! xD

I'm so sorry for the lateness of this update!! I've been super busy out and about, and I'm afraid that my weekend and new years is also chocka! However, if I get the chance to upload, you betcha I will!

Only this chap and one more before... Yep! You know it!!

And the Thursday night of DOOM I think will have to be split into a few chaps... I seem to have HEAPS of little bits and bobs written down.

Anyway, in exchange for the lateness, there's some more progress on the Tea/Seto front! Hope that's an okay swap!

**Disclaimer:**Yugiohisnotmine, nowletswritelots! Oh, and the chapter title is the same as that U2 song I was talking about a few chaps ago (I think it may have been 6)

* * *

The word had gone round Kaiba Corp like wildfire. Seto Kaiba was not only making an appearance at the product launch, he was escorting a woman. A mysterious young girl by the name of Tea Gardener- an interesting choice it had to be said. Rumours were flying around the corporation, all of varying degrees of absurdity. Some declared that this mysterious Miss Gardener was Seto's betrothed, some insinuated that she was a previously unknown sibling of the Kaiba brothers- and the most ridiculous (and Seto's personal favourite) claimed that she was the CEO's illegitimate daughter, which would have made him two years old when she was conceived. 

Although amused by this rare display of blatant stupidity, Seto had to wonder what kind of idiots were dealing with his most intricate products.

His attention was drawn towards a blinking message in the corner of his screen, which informed him that a guest was waiting in reception for him. Seto sighed, wondering if it was worth his time, and took another look at his screen.

Who was he kidding? He wasn't getting any work done. For some reason, his concentration had deserted him. Of course, he naturally put this down to a combination of nerves and excitement for his Product Launch.

And it was definitely not the fault of Tea, who sat primly in the back of his mind, constantly surfacing to the fore as she splashed him with water…

He straightened from his chair, returning to the present, and left his office. "Linda, could you watch my office?" He said quietly to the secretary who was studiously making appointments and marking dates in Seto's calendar. It was remarkably like playing a game of Tetris. Her cheeks turned crimson and her eyes narrowed slightly, and Seto realised she had taken his comment with offence. One of the reasons he hired Linda was that she was brimming with self confidence, and wasn't afraid to put the CEO in his place. He stopped and leaned over her desk. "I meant, if you see anyone, just hit the alarm and clear them out. I don't want anyone interfering with anything in there."

"Certainly, Sir." Linda replied professionally, her chin set firmly upwards. True to form, she was not going to let the harsh words of the icy president get her down.

"Thank you, Linda."

She let her guard drop for a second. Harsh words she could deal with, but thanks? That was a first.

---

Seto scowled as soon as he laid eyes on his mysterious customer. "Mr Draschet, I have made it perfectly clear to you tha-"

"Mr Kaiba, glad you could find the time. I am not here about the business proposal. I have a much more pressing matter at hand."

Seto paused for a moment, and motioned for the older man to follow him. He held the door open to a small conference room and shut the door behind him, locking it to avoid being disturbed. "You have one minute. Go."

Draschet wasted no time. "Seto, we are both busy men, and my proposal to you is this: you put me on the guest list, and perhaps I could do you a few favours."

Seto considered this statement for a moment. If Draschet was indeed holding Yugi hostage, he may well be able to assist the wealthy teenager… "What kind of favours?" Seto asked, his eyes betraying his interest.

"Well, I can certainly help you, eh… _dispose_ of some competition." Draschet said, his stress on the euphemism and his expression hinting at something much more than business strategy.

"And how do you propose to do that?" Seto asked, one eyebrow raised. He was not going to accept Draschet's offer if he couldn't gain anything from it.

"Well. Firstly, I believe you are well acquainted with the duellist champion, Yugi Motou. You may also be aware that he carries a millennium item, and that the Puzzle he hangs around his neck is an unfair advantage in your duels. I can relieve you of that advantage."

Seto's eyes narrowed. "I don't approve of theft." He stated shortly.

"Who said anything about theft?" Draschet spread his arms wide. "I have, say we say, certain methods which allow Yugi to willingly part from his puzzle."

"Nor do I hold blackmail in high regard."

Blake ground his teeth together, his frustration building. "Then I'll just kill the little brat and be it on your conscience!" He declared, slamming his hand on the table.

Seto leaned back in his chair to avoid the spittle that was sent flying in Draschet's outburst. He smirked. "You think, after my half brother and step-father were killed on my behalf that I would be unduly scarred by the death of my greatest rival?"

"Surely you stand nothing to loose." Draschet said, calming down considerably. "Be reasonable, Kaiba. All I ask for is an invitation."

Seto frowned. "My only concern is what you would _do_ with that invite. Nothing shall interrupt this launch."

Draschet's breathing returned to a normal rate, and the manic gleam vanished from his eyes. "Of course." He said, in a rational voice. "I shall only come for what I need."

"Which is?"

Draschet smiled. "It is no mystery to me why you advertise Tea's presence so openly."

A lump rose in Seto's throat. "I thought she would be of use." He said calmly. What was he so uncertain about? That was the plan! That's all she ever was- a ticket to freedom. She was going to free Seto from the oppression of being second-best in everything!

_Get a grip._ He thought angrily.

Draschet smiled. "So we have an agreement? The girl in exchange for the destruction of the millennium puzzle."

Seto nodded once, dispelling his misgivings. "We do."

---

Tea was rather surprised to discover herself glancing at the clock every ten minutes and wondering what Seto was up to. She had spent the best part of the day training with Mokuba again, but now that they had finished, and her mind was clear of tasks, she found it wandering towards her mysterious blue-eyed host.

It was therefore not to her liking that Seto Kaiba retired immediately to his room without so much as a glance in her direction when he arrived home at eight. She glanced at Mokuba uneasily, who shrugged.

"Musta been really bad today." The young Kaiba observed. He sighed. "Come on, Tea. He'll be down in a bit."

She nodded, making her way into the kitchen. She'd pass the time by cooking. After all, it needed to be done, and it was a good distraction.

However it seemed that Seto was not 'down in a bit'. In fact, Tea and Mokuba had both eaten and the eldest of the three had still not made an appearance. Mokuba sighed. "I'll see what's up." He said eventually, after they had sat in an awkward silence for fifteen minutes.

The youngster made his way up the staircase not to Seto's bedroom, but to his personal study. His brother was standing at the window, in the same spot that, unbeknownst to Mokuba, Tea had so tenderly embraced him.

Seto had never had many dealings with crises of conscience, but this was certainly one of the worst. He had already taken three aspirin to clear the pounding headache he was nursing, but it seemed that his pain was fuelled by guilt rather than neurological symptoms. He sighed as Mokuba's voice came from behind him.

"Big brother?"

Seto turned, and gave a sorry smile to his brother. "Hey there, Mokie." He said sadly, ruffling his brother's hair.

Mokuba didn't reply. He had never seen his brother look so…. Well, he couldn't describe it. There was a deep sadness, and a longing in his eyes, but Mokuba couldn't understand it. Hadn't they been happy the last few days? Hadn't things started to brighten up since Tea arrived? He thought Seto was starting to go back to his old self- his real self- what could have gone so terribly wrong?

Seto sighed. "Mokuba." He said, the seriousness of his voice slicing into his brother. "You know I love you, don't you? You're the only family I have left."

Mokuba frowned, and put a hand on Seto's shoulder. "'Course I do, bro. Why the sudden outburst?"

Seto sighed deeply. "Because soon that's all you'll be."

And with that cryptic statement, Seto embraced his brother, leaving the younger feeling suddenly apprehensive.

---

Tea couldn't stand it any longer. It was now half past ten, and wherever Seto Kaiba was, it was not in her presence. He could at least get some food now that she'd bothered to cook it. She heaped the remains of the meal onto a plate, and heated it. Then, balancing everything carefully on her arm, she took a glass of water and made her way up the stairs. She knew where he'd be.

She pushed open the office door carefully with her hip and set the meal on what seemed to be a desk under all the paper strew across it. "You can at least get some food." She said quietly, walking over to the silhouette by the window and standing beside it.

Seto looked down at her, and then tore his eyes away. He couldn't bear the sight of her, and yet he yearned for her closeness. _No you don't! _Another voice in his mind set him on track. _You don't even like the girl! All you're doing is gaining her trust. Stop kidding yourself, Seto_. Unable to move, he stayed perfectly still, allowing his mind to settle before answering.

"You're not my maid. You needn't have come." He said, his voice sounding much more confident than he felt.

"Need and want are two very different things." Tea replied, still staring out the window. She leaned sideways and her head fell into his shoulder.

Seto let out a slow breath. _No, please don't-_ His mind protested, but Tea was no thought reader, and she slipped her hand into his. He did not move away, already addicted to the warmth she brought.

"Seto, what is wrong?" She asked quietly, turning to him, one hand boldly placed on his chest.

He took her arm behind her elbow and slowly brought her to him. He sighed. "They're… my own problems." He said uncertainly, avoiding her eyes. "Puzzles to solve on my own."

She looked sadly into his sideways gaze, and, seized with an impulsive desire to comfort him, placed one hand on the line of his jaw, and reached up, closing her eyes and moving closer to him.

He could feel her breath on his lips when he finally snapped his eyes towards her. Before he could protest, however, she made contact. Light. Tentative. Nervous. And then it was over. Seto's eyes fell shut, and he leaned towards her, finding her lower lip first and nipping it by way of reply. His kiss was sharp and satisfying; he was firm with her, but his lips were supple, and he was respectful, his advances slow and gradual. Her fingertips brushed his neck, just behind his ear, and then delved into his hair as she pulled him closer. Their embrace was tight, and Kaiba easily lifted her from her feet, all thoughts of deception and the real world banished for another time. The hand on his shoulder tightened its grip as his arm found her waist in order to better hold her up.

She paused, breaking away slightly to touch noses with him. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked down into his face for a moment. His eyes were still closed and a small smile played on his lips as he spoke. "Tea Gardener, that was a prime example of inexcusable misconduct." He said, his voice hardly anything more than a pleasant rumble.

She smiled cheekily. "No, Mr Kaiba, _this_ is misconduct." And she met him again, sliding her tongue into his mouth.

* * *

Okay so one chapter down, and only one more before the BIG NIGHT ITSELF! Also, I think it's pretty safe to assume that they are very much attracted to each other . 

But hark! Don't get so overly excited just yet! Seto has a deal, and we all know he's got the self control to go ahead with it: I mean, look at what he did to Mokuba when they were kiddies!! Selling him out for 2 of the company shakes head. And I can assure you, as much as he may like Tea, Mokuba is still number one on Seto's priority list!

And no, I am not giving away the plot there, not at all, my fine feathered friends (well, not unless you're good at guessing plotlines. Oh bugger, now you've made me all nervous! Okay, forget I said that!)

Reviews welcomed (particularly as I've never written a kiss scene before! Please no flames from you experts out there!! . )


	10. She did what!

Well, well! Chapter ten already (Useless fact: in case you're wondering why I mention what chapter I'm up to at the start, it's cause I write in a word doc and then copy/paste everything into fan fic. Writing a chapter number means I can use that handy dandy "find" button to get to the start of the chap when I upload!)

ALSO! I now realise that I have been spelling Yugi's last name wrong… oops! Instead of Motou (which is what I've been writing) it's Muto. So, from now on I'll write Muto. Sorry bout that, folks!

Anyway, you're probably more interested in the fic…

**Disclaimer:**yes, you've made me say it ten times now: YU GI OH is NOT mine. Sadly.

* * *

"Linda, I'm going to need to ask a favour of you." Seto said, as they exited the elevator on his way into the office. She usually arrived the same time he did, and his daily dose of conversation was with her on the long journey to the top of the Kaiba Corp tower. 

"You always ask favours of me, Mr Kaiba. That's what my job entails." She glanced up at her boss, and frowned. His 'work face' as she had dubbed it was always a look of fixed concentration, not one of distant anxiety. "Is everything alright, Sir?" She asked, arriving at her desk and already loading up the computer.

Kaiba paused, one hand on the door to his office. "No, but it will be." He said. "And this time I need your personal opinion on something." He changed the subject back to his earlier request.

Linda blinked. _Her_ opinion? Since when do corporation Presidents ask their secretary for personal opinions? Something was very wrong with Mr Kaiba. "Yes, sir."

Seto nodded once. "Good. It'll be ready at lunch." And with that, he retired into his large office, immersing himself in figures and commands.

---

At twenty to one, he surfaced from his workload and saved his progress. He walked out of his office and nodded towards Linda. "We're going on an outing." He said, giving her no option to reply. "Put my office on do not disturb, and seal it. We could be some time."

Linda nodded mutely, carrying out her instructions without comment. He led her into the elevator and they immediately began their long descent.

"Sir? May I ask where and for what purpose are we going?"

"Linda, you are well aware by now that I have an escort to the Launch. I must find her something suitable to wear. I have never been much of a _fashionista_, but I happen to notice that you take great pride in your appearance. Perhaps you could help me find something appropriate?"

Linda smiled. That was true. At work, her dark hair was pulled back tightly into a bun, and her clothes were neat and professional. But at product launches, or at any other company event, her attire was immaculate. She always presented in a well cut dress, her hair extravagantly cascading around one shoulder, and she never failed to find the best pick of the season. No one could deny she was very much into fashion. "Certainly, sir." She replied.

Seto nodded once, and their descent continued in silence.

---

Blake Draschet sat at the head of a very long table. "So, Yugi."

The small boy gazed upwards from the opposite end, the hatred apparent in his eyes. "Don't tempt me, Draschet. The pharaoh may not be here, but that does not make me helpless."

"I'm sure." Blake brushed off his threat airily. "As I was saying, I have received an invitation to the Kaiba Corp event, and I'm sure you are aware by now that a certain Tea Gardener will be attending. In fact, she has misplaced her trust in Seto Kaiba- I'm sure you remember him. We have… an agreement of sorts. The girl for the elimination of your puzzle. Of course, Tea believes she is being noble, offering herself in exchange for your safety." Draschet smirked. "She has no idea her gracious escort has other plans."

Yugi slammed his fist on the table. "You lie, Draschet."

"Oh really? Well, perhaps you'd like to come along on Thursday, and see for yourself."

Yugi stood up, the chain that connected his wrist to his chair becoming taut. He picked up the chair and walked with it down to Draschet's end of the table. "Try anything," He said dangerously, "_anything_ at all, and so help me I will…" The seventeen year old trailed off, unable to come up with a punishment suitable for his captor.

"You'll what, Yugi? Cry on me? Your aversion towards violence ensures my own safety. But what can you honestly do to save your friends?" Draschet gave a triumphant laugh. "I may not have the millennium puzzle now, but rest assured come tomorrow evening, I will do."

Yugi turned his face away, unable to stand the sight of Draschet's diabolical mirth any longer.

---

"Alright, let's move!"

Tristan motioned the all clear as Joey and Mai sprinted the gap between the warehouses. They were a mere hundred metres from the highway- and once there they could surely hitch a ride into Domino City. From there, they could gather their strength and plan their rescue attempt in safety.

"Okay, I'll go ahead this time." Mai offered taking the lead.

"Oh, no you don't!" Joey said, grasping her wrist. "_I'll_ scout on this one. I don't want you gettin' hurt."

Mai gave him a very sarcastic look. "Oh, please. Everyone here knows if anyone's going to get themselves hurt it's you. _I'll_ go first." And with that she stuck her head around the corner, checking for a clear coast and darted across to the next warehouse. She waited a second, and then beckoned her companions.

They followed quickly, immediately sinking into the shadows of the small gap. Mai was about to step out to scout the next leg, but Tristan pulled her back. "Don't move!" He hissed. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Listen."

"…way outta here by now. It's been two days since they made it out. They could have left Domino by now."

"The boss said they wouldn't have gone far. Muto's still in there, and he reckons they wont leave unless he goes with 'em."

"Pfth. I doubt it. C'mon, we've checked around here five times already. Let's go somewhere else."

There was a pause, and then the voices sounded again, unsettlingly close by.

"That's exactly the kind of attitude that looses prisoners! See, if you just keep faith…" The voice sounded mere metres from their hiding spot, and it was drawing closer. "…and look for the right signs…" Tristan, closest to the entry of the small gap sucked in his breath to avoid being seen. "You never know what you might find!"

And on that last word, the guard swooped inside the entry and dragged Tristan out by his arm. He was immediately set upon my Joey, who rammed a fist into his jaw and wrenched his friend from the guard's grip.

"Radio all stations!" Came the muffled order from the superior, who was recovering from Joey's attack.

"Calling all stations, do you read me? Subjects found area 41 of our compound. Heading east and inland. Requesting back up immediately. Repeat. Back up to area 41 of compound immediately. Over."

The rush of static from their communications system muffled the affirmative answer, but it was enough to inspire a new wave of determination in the fleeing trio. They reached the main road in seconds and immediately began following it towards Domino city.

"If you guys see a bus or somethin', try 'n' hop on the back." Joey called as they ran. The steady uphill climb did nothing to help, and before long they were weary. Cars passed them, but there was no sign of any large vehicles to tag onto.

Mai pointed above them. "Running's pointless. They'll send vehicles after us. Someone give me a lift up there." She yelled, indicating the edge of the forest. Joey stopped immediately and gave her a leg up.

"Here, Tristan, get up there!" Joey called, still kneeling.

Tristan took a run up, and leapt off Joey's hand, landing easily on the plateau above them. He reached down and helped Joey clamber up before the three darted into the forest. "We can follow the road, but at least in here we've got cover." Mai explained, as they began their trek home.

Joey nodded. "Good plan."

Almost as if to confirm Joey's statement, a black sedan with tinted windows drove by. The trio threw themselves to the forest floor and waited for the sound of engines to die away before they resumed their journey.

---

It was gone nightfall when they eventually reaching Domino city. Their journey had been mostly safe, if a little tense at times. Joey sunk thankfully to his knees at the entrance to the arcade. It was still open at this late hour to facilitate the customers of the bar and restaurant attached to it. The teenagers slumped inside and ordered a drink. At least they'd be safe in such a public place.

All kinds of people came to the bar. Drinking was one of those pastimes suited for everyone. There were young college students like them huddled in a corner, laughing over their first taste of alcohol, to smartly suited businessmen who murmured their conversation over martinis after a stressful day at the office.

"I'll grab us a round." Tristan said, producing his wallet and heading to the bar.

Joey squished into one of the benches and Mai followed him, choosing to sit very close. Tentatively, Joey's arm wrapped around her shoulder, and she leant into him, smiling warmly. "I'd say that was a hike I won't forget anytime soon." She said sleepily. "I could do with some shuteye."

Joey smiled and gave her a small squeeze. "Me too. But we should sleep in shifts- I don't doubt there'll be folks searching for us around here too."

Mai nodded her agreement, her eyes darting around the customers as she watched them all wearily. No one seemed to be paying them any special attention. As far as they were concerned, they were simply a couple enjoying themselves on a date.

Mai blushed at that thought. Her and Joey? On a date? She had to admit, she wasn't the dating type, but then again, who was she to-

Her train of thought was cut off as Joey suddenly swooped down on her, transfixing her with a passionate kiss. He paused awkwardly, their lips still touching, and she opened one eye in confusion. What the hell was he doing?!

He paused for a moment longer, and then withdrew. "Sorry about that. One of those goons was out there, and if he looked this way, I'm pretty sure he would recognised us."

Mai blinked.

"I needed to cover your face so Draschet's henchmen don't find us." He said slowly.

"They're here already?!" Mai whispered, shrinking into herself, her eyes darting towards the window for a split second.

Joey was right. There was a figure standing on the corner whose buzz cut hairstyle seemed awfully familiar. "Don't look, but he's back." She paused. "And this time put some effort into it."

And with that, they embraced once more.

---

Tristan was leaning against the bar casually when the conversation from two suits behind him caught his attention.

"…Kaiba Corp launch tomorrow night? I heard he's bringing a date. Can't remember her name though… it was like a drink I think… was it tea?"

"Tèa it was." Came the reply. "Tèa Gardener."

"That's the one!"

Tristan had heard enough. He turned around and flashed a winning smile at the two businessmen that made them recoil. "Sorry, did you just say Tèa Gardener was going to a product Launch with Seto Kaiba?"

One of the businessmen, apparently having recovered the fastest from Tristan's fairly scary grin nodded. "That's right. Tomorrow night." He eyed the grubby teenager haughtily. "It's a _business_ function, you understand. Not for children."

Tristan scowled at this. "For your information, I've been eighteen for four months now. And I was asking because my uncle happens to be in high places at Industrial Illusions. He's chief designer for all the cards. He usually attends those kinds of things." Tristan raised an eyebrow and tipped his head, giving a clear 'put-that-in-you-pipe-and-smoke-it' message to the two well dressed men.

"Ah, Augustus, isn't it?" The second businessman nodded his recognition. "You must be Simon then. He does talk about his family an awful lot. You play cricket, yes?"

Tristan blinked for a moment, astounded that his lie had actually worked. "That's me. Just come in for a drink with one of the guys from my team and his girlfriend. Say, you wouldn't happen to know where the event is, would you? I know I'm not supposed to be there, but if Uncle Augie is town, I probably should say hello afterwards, you understand."

"Of course!" Laughed the second, and apparently more friendly of the two men. "It's at the City Hall. Black tie event, so you might have a bit of a problem picking out the right penguin, eh?"

Tristan nodded his thanks as the drinks arrived. "Thanks for that, I might show up before it starts… er, what time did you say it was?"

"Seven PM sharp, m'lad! I'll let your uncle know you'll be there if you like?"

"Oh, it's fine thanks. Er… it'll be a nice surprise for him…?" Tristan was anxious to get out of this conversation before he stole any more identities.

"Of course! Very good then! See you on the night, hush-hush!" The portly man tapped his nose and winked.

Tristan gave a much more uneasy smile that he had when he met the two gentlemen. He thanked the bartender- a very attractive young woman- with a wink and took the three glasses of beer to the table. He arrived to find Joey and Mai very much entangled with one another.

He coughed slightly, having no tact, and set the drinks on the table, making a very large fuss.

Joey turned his head sideways away from Mai for a second to hiss at Tristan. "Get your head away from the window, you nobhead! They're out there!"

Tristan immediately turned his back to the window and took an obscenely large swig of his drink. "You couldn't have been more subtle." He said dryly, leaning his back against the window and pushing the other two beers across the table.

His friends took one eagerly. A full day's marching on rations from the previous night really took it out of them. "Anyway, guys, you'll be glad to know that I have found us a lead on none other than Miss Tèa Gardener." Tristan said proudly after they had all finished their drinks. He glanced at the window briefly. "Perhaps we should change tables and have a meal first?" He suggested.

They agreed, and within twenty minutes they were discussing the situation over a hearty pub-style meal.

"Well, Kaiba's got a launch on tomorrow night, and Tèa is his escort!"

Joey swallowed the contents of his bulging mouth in one, choking in the process. Tristan thumped a fist into his back, and his throat clear enough for him to skull the rest of his drink and gasp, "You're not serious?!"

Tristan nodded, his eyes wide. "I figure she's made a deal with him. An escort to the launch for his help in finding us. Besides, Kaiba Corp could track Joey and Yugi's dual disks, although I'm not sure where they are at the moment."

"Well, mine's with Draschet at the moment. I was wearing it when they nabbed us." Joey said, having calmed down with Tristan's explanation. He smiled appreciatively. "We owe Tèa big time, mate. Hanging out with Kaiba no less- and just to help us out! She's an awesome friend!"

Mai nodded. "Good on her. If she can stand that brat for two hours on a Thursday night, there's nothing she can't do. Trust me boys, being stuck with the wrong guy on a date is like a hell on earth. There's nothing a woman hates more than a boring night. Usually it spells a D-U-M-P. That's the thing about women. You get no second chances."

Joey paled and gave a nervous laugh. "Nice. You make it really easy for us."

Mai grinned, and slapped him playfully on the arm. "I'm only kidding." She said, tucking into her meal with gusto. "Besides, I'm really looking forwards for an excuse to get dressed up."

It was Tristan's turn to whiten. "We have to dress up?"

Joey's mouth was once again too full for him to speak. It took him a good five minutes to chew his food before he could join the conversation again. "I 'ain't got a suit!" He exclaimed, once the conversation had well and truly passed the subject.

Mai gave him a pleasant smile. "That's nice, hon. We'll get you kitted out. You can hire one from a place not far from here. As for a place to kip, mines as good as any of ours. I can't wait to get into my shower!"

They finished their meal and left enough cash to cover the bill and a tip, and then left the bar just as the clubbers were arriving. The Domino night life was certainly out and about tonight, which worked well for the young adults. They blended into the crowd with ease, arriving at Mai's apartment block without further encounters, which they entered quietly.

Mai hurried them up the stairs, and within moments of being let in, all three were sleeping soundly; two on the couch, one in a bed.

* * *

PHEWF! Well… that's all that needs to be done. Next chapter is THURSDAY. Yes, it starts daytime, but I PROMISE there's the start of the launch in there! Sorry once again for the late update! And, most of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR, FOLKS!! 

Thankee to everyone who reviewed/faved and alerted this! Also huge thanks to everyone who's kept up with the story! My stats for this one are awesome… I think its… 700 views now? Thanks guys! I know a lot of you may not have reviewed, but the hits are awesome and MUCH appreciated!! So a HUGE thanks there!

Urm… think I'm all done thanking people! I'll get on with the next chapter!

Oh, and HAPPY NOO YEAR!! Welcome to 2008!!


	11. Be Resplendent

PHEWF! Well… that's all that needs to be done. Chapter eleven is THURSDAY. Yes, it starts daytime, but I PROMISE there's the start of the launch in there! Sorry once again for the late update! And, most of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR, FOLKS!! 

Thankee to everyone who reviewed/faved and alerted this! Also huge thanks to everyone who's kept up with the story! My stats for this one are awesome… I think its… 800 views now? Thanks guys! I know a lot of you may not have reviewed, but the hits are awesome and MUCH appreciated!! So a HUGE thanks there!

Urm… think I'm all done thanking people! I'll get on with the next chapter!

**Disclaimer:**okayokay! Yugioh's not mine! Now let the readers read on!

* * *

When Tea awoke on Thursday morning and stumbled out of bed, she was adequately surprised to find a large cardboard bag bearing the name of a very expensive brand sitting by her bed. She reached forwards and looked inside. It was full of tissue paper, and a note was resting lightly on top. She unfolded the paper with a twinge of excitement, and read the neat script.

_Tea, _

_ I am aware that I told you to find something suitable for tonight's event during the day with the help of Mokuba, but the truth of the matter is this: I don't trust your fashion sense, and I thought I'd save you the bother. _

_ And I rather think the colour suits you. Remember, Tea, if all is to go accordingly to plan, you will need to look resplendent. You must catch the attention of every eye in the room- but in a tasteful manner, if you don't mind. _

_ Faithfully, _

_ Seto_

Tea blinked twice. And then she laughed, pulling out the tissue paper to prove to herself that Seto was joking.

Only he wasn't. A shimmer of crimson caught her eye, and delicately, she removed the dress. She gasped. Not only was it stunningly pretty, it seemed to be almost fluid, giving her plenty of room to move. She twirled it around on its hangar and grinned. It would be perfect for dancing.

She read the note again, still refusing to believe that Seto had taken the time to find her a dress for the occasion. On the second reading, she saw the small arrow that indicated she turn over the page, where a Post Script was written.

_Also, I hope you are not offended by the extras I have enclosed. I was informed that such attire requires suitable undergarments._

Tea blushed at this- not only had the young billionaire taken the time to go dress shopping, it seemed he had also found her underwear. She laid the gown out on her bed and pulled out a smaller plastic bag, gazing inside for a second.

A giggle escaped her, and she put a hand over her mouth in an attempt to control her mirth. The crimson bra seemed an obvious enough choice, but the underwear seemed to be more like very tiny ruffled shorts than underwear. What exactly did he have in mind for her?

She rolled her eyes and returned everything to the bag. Resplendent, eh? Well, she could certainly do that, though it may take her the best part of the day…

---

Seto returned home at the early time of six o'clock. Upon entering the house, he immediately took the stairs to his study, where he dropped off his briefcase and sealed the both the double door entry, and the large window that offered such a pleasant view.

He returned to his bedroom, where he showered quickly, and pulled on a pair of black trousers. He selected a crisp white shirt, and left it half-buttoned and untucked. He threw a bow tie around his upturned collar, leaving it untied for the time being. Then, leaving his bedroom door ajar, he made his way to his brother's room and knocked.

"Come in!" Called Mokuba, with a little hint of distress in his voice. Seto entered and glanced towards his brother. Mokuba was struggling with his tie- one of the loops seemed to be caught around his elbow, leaving his arm at an awkward and useless angle. "Little help?" He muttered, giving the offending tie a harsh glare.

"You've been asking me to do this for you for how many years?" Seto asked, kneeling down and tying the material neatly around his brother's neck. He leaned back to admire the handiwork, centred the tie on the collar and stood.

"Thanks, Seto." Mokuba slipped his suit jacket on, and topped the outfit with a top hat. "How do I look?"

Seto grinned. "Like an idiot. Loose the hat." He pulled the offending garment from his brother's head.

Mokuba raised an eyebrow. "Says the man wearing a bow tie. Those went out of fashion years ago. Besides, the hat's endearing. I'm sure there are plenty of very nice women who would find it _cute_. Which is more than can be said for you." Mokuba grinned, and snatched the hat back, putting it firmly on top of his head.

Seto raised an eyebrow. "Of course." He replied sarcastically. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Are you getting the oranges?" Mokuba asked, smiling.

The tradition of fresh squeezed orange juice before a corporate event had started when Mokuba was twelve. It was Seto's first launch since he converted his father's company. Scrutinized by his employees, business associates and competition, and at the tender age of sixteen, his nerves had been frayed- though he wouldn't admit it. Mokuba, at a loss for anything else to do, had collected oranges from their garden and spent half an hour juicing them. He had read somewhere that the nutrients in fruit had a calming effect. In truth, the juice wasn't much help, but the gesture had put Seto in high spirits. Since then, it had become almost a good-luck charm, a little ritual understood by no one save them.

Seto grinned. "You betcha."

­­---

Seto swung through the wide glass doors, his arms filled with large oranges. "Care for a drink before we leave?" He asked, carefully placing the oranges on the side. He had heard the clack of Tea's high heels on the tiles of the kitchen, and felt obliged to offer.

"Aren't we going out for drinks?" She replied, walking over and picking up an orange.

"We're going out for a Product Launch. Why drink something bottled there when you can have fresh at home?" He replied, still not turning to her.

She put the orange down again. "Sure. Can I help?"

"Ye-" Seto finally looked up at her, and she knocked his train of thought onto a turntable. "Wow." He said finally, thoroughly impressed.

Her dress reached part way down her thighs- not high enough to be embarrassing, and not too close to her knees to look like she had grown out of it- a cheeky height, if nothing else. A simple crimson silk underdress saved her from feeling self conscious about the light material that made up the majority of the garment. It was made up of what seemed to be many parts of the same translucent fabric which hung sleekly while she stood still, but had all the liquidity needed to float gracefully around her legs as she moved.

The top half of her dress clung to her figure at the sides and waist, but fell boldly low at the chest as the material bagged out. Nothing was on display- and even it had been, her strapless bra would have blended inconspicuously with the warm mix of orange, red and hints of gold that were woven through the dress. The material joined at the hip and then separated into many seemingly randomly cut pieces which overlapped to fall into a jagged finish.

Her feet were clad with expensive red heels, which were an inch high and deceptively easy to walk in. Although the heel appeared thin, it widened imperceptibly at the base to as to create an easy platform on which to stand. Her hair had not been neglected either. During the day, it seemed she had taken the time to dye sections of her normally dark hair shades of mahogany and cinnamon. With red and blonde highlights on top, and, it seemed, a slightly shorter and much more choppy and severe cut, her hair took on an appearance as stunning and as eye-catching as her dress. Two strands on either side of her face had been pulled back into a tiara which spurted flaming red feathers and fabric off cuts. It was a small adornment, but it suited her well, and somehow justified her unusual hair style and colour.

She had neglected to wear any jewellery of any kind save the delicate gold earrings which dangled down in spirals from her ear lobes. Her eyes were heavily adorned with makeup; a dark eyeliner applied only in the outer corners of her eyes and a thick mascara served to bring out the bright blue of her iris and shape her eyes innocently wide. A bright blend of cherry red and orange adorned her eyelids, and formed boldly shaped wings over her eyes. Small beads of gold liquid makeup were placed at the corner of the wings, making them that much obvious and more regal. A delicate rouge adorned her cheeks, and her lips were painted strawberry, making them appear succulent and sweet.

She looked positively fiery.

Seto blinked once. "Wow." He repeated, at a loss for anything else to say. Her lips caught his attention the most, but he dragged his eyes away and back to the oranges he was preparing to juice._ She is not a plaything._ He reminded himself harshly. _She is your trade. Show some self control._

She twisted nervously and bit her lip. Obviously the lipstick was hardwearing. "How do I look?"

He raised his head again and smiled. "Like a Goddess." He replied, returning one more to his oranges. Years of discipline would not fail him now.

She beamed, and stepped forwards, her hand finding his cheek and turning him towards her. Her lips caressed his for a moment- every bit as soft and luscious as they looked, and then she was standing beside him, innocently handing him an orange to juice.

He looked into her eyes for a moment, and then slipped a hand behind her neck and into her hair, unable to resist. She complied, shutting her eyes and leaning into him. He took the orange from her hand and put it on the counter.

The feel of her fingers lightly tracing the opening of his half-unbuttoned shirt was enough to raise his heartbeat beyond the restorative power of fruit juice.

---

Mokuba strode confidently down the stairs, his small top-hat placed at a suitably jaunty angle, and his toe-capped shoes newly polished. He was feeling remarkably proud. He had always liked formal wear, and was especially fond of the attire of the 1920s, but in his younger years he had found that suits that used suspenders were not in his size. Although he was still slightly too slender for a well-fitting waistcoat, he had finally experienced the growth spurt he needed to wear what he considered an 'adult suit', one which was not simply a plain white shirt and black pants.

He strode into the kitchen to find Seto and Tea enjoying a glass of orange juice over a hum of light conversation. He caught sight of Tea's dress. "You look magnificent, Tea." He said, sweeping off his hat gallantly.

"And the same to you, Mokuba. Very dapper." She replied, smiling. She addressed Seto next. "Well, sir, looks like you're the only one not ready." She indicated his unbuttoned shirt and untied bow.

Seto excused himself, and returned in moments, shirt buttoned and bow tied, his outfit completed with a smart waistcoat and a coat with two very stylish tails hanging from the back. However, no top hat adorned the CEO's head, and as he showed the way out of the house and towards the limousine, Tea patted his jacket.

"Shame. I thought you'd have matching hats." She commented lightly.

His expression was almost smug, although it was void of malice and seemed more amused. "Nonsense. You wouldn't catch me dead in something as ridiculous."

Tea smiled and cocked her head. "Really? I thought it was cute." She said, stepping into the black limousine.

Kaiba blinked once and slammed the door shut.

Cute?!

---

Mai loved getting dolled up, and a Kaiba Corp Product Launch demanded her utmost attention. Accordingly, she had selected a bareback black cocktail dress that ended at her ankles. The straps were wide, and it was low cut- the kind of gown that could only be worn by a woman of confidence. A pair of black kitten heels slipped over her feet, and her hair was pulled back elegantly, a single ringlet escaping her tight bun and hanging delicately by her ear.

She opened her eyes wider and looked towards the ceiling as she applied the final coat of mascara. Blinking twice to dry it out, she smiled at her reflection. Lipstick. She definitely needed lipstick. She applied a shade of wine, pouting slightly. She was very careful not to overdo it- just a small amount in the centre, outlined with lip liner. Perfect.

She left her bathroom and smiled at the two boys. "Are you ready?" She asked, smiling at them. Joey had hired a tux for the night- a simple white shirt and black jacket affair, and Tristan had found a white suit in the back of his father's wardrobe.

"Sure thing, Miss Valentine." Joey said, rising from his position on the arm of the couch and offering his arm. She took it with a gloved hand and smiled.

"Then let's find out what the hell Tea's doing with that Kaiba creep!" She said defiantly, indicating the door.

---

The Domino City Hall was a beacon of light in the indigo sky. Lit from below, it struck an impressive form. Quite a crowd had gathered outside, and as the hall's great bell struck the hour of seven, the wide doors opened, and the array of eager businessmen and women entered serenely, their conversation flowing onto the subject of the launch. 

The hall had been arranged around what seemed to be a central dance floor. A collection of tables flanked the empty wooden floor, some laid out for two people, other larger tables catering for eight. A stage took up the back wall, a single podium situated to the right and a screen that reached the top of the building to the left of it. A grand staircase led to an upper storey, stopping briefly at a mezzanine which separated the ground and first levels.

As the guest filed in and found their tables, Linda strode confidently towards the podium. As promised, she looked stunning, her hair looped back in a fantastic explosion of dark curls, and a strapless dress in the most elegant shade of royal purple draping over her figure. An oversized bow at her back peeked from behind her, giving the effect of wings without being too pretentious. Her usual square glasses perched on her nose, making her appear not only beautiful, but intelligent.

"Ladies and gentlemen." She announced, silencing the room. "Associates, advisors, employees and esteemed guests. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the official Launch of Kaiba Corp's latest product, the DuelDeck Disk System. Joining us here today will be…"

Linda followed into a long list of names, most of whom nodded in false modesty at their mention and smoothed out their jackets pompously. She went on to describe the nature of the function, and generally bored the pants off one Joey Wheeler.

He sat at the very back of the crowd, flanked by Mai and Tristan, who were doing their best to look interested.

"Can you see Tea anywhere?" He whispered to Tristan, scanning to crowd for any sign of her.

"Shuttup, Joey. She's starting to talk about the product. Crazy as it is, I actually wanna hear what's gonna be on the market!" Mai's voice hushed him, and her hand found his to stall his reply.

"…Similar to our earlier product, the DuelDisk, the DuelDeck sports wireless technology, and an all-new never-before-seen customizable interface. The DuelDeck Disk System will register with its user, learn to recognise the cards and strategies used by the player and will give the user the ability to duel themselves. Yes, you heard me, ladies and gentlemen. This Disk System has a mind of its own!"

A murmur of impressed conversation fluttered across the hall. Mai raised her eyebrows, thoroughly impressed. "You gotta hand it to the guy." She said, with a half smile. "He's an A-hole, but he's got some great ideas."

Joey scowled.

"But before I continue, I would like to welcome the inventor, designer, and chief programmer- not to mention the President of Kaiba Corp- to the stage, Mr Seto Kaiba."

A polite applause broke out, and Seto appeared at the top of the grand staircase, Tea gracefully at his arm. Mokuba was on the other side of him, his top hat angled and his toe-capped shoes tapping along the marble stairs. The younger Kaiba winked at a particularly attractive young woman as they descended.

Seto reached the ground and politely offered Tea a seat next to the dance floor. The table was set for three, and Mokuba obligingly took one of the two remaining seats. Seto whispered a quiet farewell in his escort's ear and then made his way to the stage.

By now complete silence had reigned in the hall. No one had ever seen Kaiba behave… sensitively before. Joey's eyes bulged, and he blanched.

"That is disgusting." He hissed to his companions. Mai cocked her head and watched Seto glance back towards Tea, who was nervously surveying the crowd.

"Well I thought it was kinda sweet…" She murmured, irritating her date to no end.

"And exactly who's side are you on here?! Can't you see he's just showing her off like a new toy?" Joey's anger reached his eyes, and he almost stood.

"Easy, Joey. We're not supposed to be here and the last thing we need is to get kicked out!" Tristan whispered, holding a tight grip on his friend's arm. Joey calmed and sat back in his seat, scrutinising the nineteen year-old as he reached the podium, and gave a small smile of satisfaction.

"Your attention please. As you can see on the screen next to me-" The screen flickered into life and an image of the DuelDeck Disk System appeared, projected at over ten meters high. "- the DuelDeck closely resembles its predecessor, the DuelDisk, with one major difference. It now contains a panel screen which detaches from the main body. It is voice activated and allows a duellist to train against a computer mind. This mind will slowly train a duellist by throwing almost every card created against the user, analysing the user's deck and strategies to personalize play. In short, this DuelDeck System creates mock duels, allowing the most novice of duellists to become elite- provided, of course, they have the strength of will to do so."

Seto's eyes flashed confidently around the crowd, pleased to see the look of admiration on their faces. His voice held a note of pride, and his enunciation was crystal clear, leaving his audience in no doubt that this was another Kaiba Corp success.

"Allow me to demonstrate." He said, producing the prototype from behind the podium. He slipped off his jacket and attached the DuelDeck to his arm. It slid over his hand like a glove, a plastic section sliding into place around the palm of his hand.

An automated voice sounded. "Insert Deck please." Kaiba followed the command, producing his deck and sliding into place. "Scanning Deck… Recognised duellist Seto Kaiba. Scan thumb print." Seto touched his right thumb to the plastic in the centre of his left palm. It flashed briefly as it scanned his fingerprint. "Registered duellist Seto Kaiba confirmed. No competitor DuelDeck System in range. Commence training mode?"

"Yes."

"Training mode activated. One moment please." A series of whirs and clicks sounded from the device until a compartment shot off from the side and landed several metres away from the CEO. A holographic person appeared from the small box on the floor. His projected DuelDeck system opened out, and a deck appeared in place.

Seto turned his attention to his audience. "Now, when I make the first move, I will be playing by the rules of Duel Monsters. However, my opponent has the option of selecting almost any card available to use against me. Of course, this option is only available once the duellist has reached the expert level. The DuelDeck analyses the strength of a player's deck before testing them, allowing for complete personalized training sessions."

He drew his hand and played a card. A huge projection of the Blue Eyes White Dragon filled the stage. Seto's holographic opponent played a card face down, and summoned a second Blue Eyes to the field.

Seto waved towards his adversary's card. "As you can see, my opponent has bested my move by adding a face down card. Undoubtedly, this is a trap or magic card, which will reflect my attack, or increase my opponent's monster's attack points, making my turn useless. I shall prove this. Blue Eyes, attack!"

The dragon on stage opened its mouth and breathed a white fireball towards its equal. The trap card activated, and the attack was rebounded. It his Seto's dragon, and the Blue Eyes dematerialised. Seto flung an arm over his face to shield his eyes from the blinding light, and then he regained his composure. "And it seems I was right. Now allow me to demonstrate the playback feature." At the touch of a button, the holographs disappeared and the automated female voice sounded again.

"Save duel sequence?"

"Yes." Seto enunciated clearly and loudly so that his audience could hear him.

"Save as…?"

"Demo Sequence."

A pleasant chime sounded from the system. "Sequence Saved."

Seto nodded and waited a few moment before issuing the next command. "Activate playback."

Immediately the duel began to restart. The holographic opponent appeared once more, and the dragons were summoned. However, this time, before Seto's Blue Eyes attacked, the animation paused, and the DuelDeck's voice sounded once more, this time in a much more conversational and realistic tone.

"You probably should have played a face down card to eliminate any traps your opponent must play. Be aware that your adversary is capable of setting traps and reversing your attack. Alternatively, play a card with a special summons ability to allow for more monsters defending your life points."

The game continued, and replayed the opponent's attack. It ended abruptly at the point when Kaiba ended the training session.

"So you see, Ladies and Gentlemen." Seto concluded, as the DuelDeck shut itself down. "This is sure to sell, particularly as the card game has never been so popular."

He slipped off the DuelDeck Disk System and nodded towards Linda, who returned to the podium, smiling serenely. "Our catering will commence shortly. Please take a moment to enjoy the live entertainment while you consider your opportunities."

Joey looked from Mai to Tristan. "Let's go!" He said, getting to his feet. "I've been here an hour and a half and I'm not exactly enjoying myself. Let's grab Tea and get outta here!"

Tristan stood. "Seconded." He said, starting to weave his way through the tables towards Tea and Mokuba. However, it seemed that they weren't the only ones heading in the direction of the Kaiba table. As Seto returned to his seat, he and his guests were immediately surrounded by guests. He stood dutifully and answered questions, made offers and assisted his fellow businessmen.

Tea sat quietly as people stood around her, until Mokuba winked at her, and left his seat, indicating that she should follow. She did so gratefully, turning back once to make eye contact wit Seto, whose sentence trailed off into nothing as she smiled.

She turned and left, and he turned back to his conversation, indicating for the businessman to follow him to the stage where they began to work out the figures involved in their deal.

Mokuba grinned at her. "Well, while everyone scrounges around for some profits, we've got free reign! Come on, I'll introduce you to some people worth knowing!" He said, grasping her wrist and pulling her towards a group of young women- the same ones at whom he had winked earlier. Tea rolled her eyes, but followed dutifully, standing to one side as Mokuba struck up a flirtatious conversation.

"Evening, ma'am." A thickly accented voice sounded at her shoulder. She turned, a friendly smile on her face. The man opposite her was immaculately dressed, his handsome chiselled features and dark hair looking remarkably suave in the tux. He raised her hand and kissed it gently, tipping his head in respect. "You look wonderful this evening."

Tea blushed. "Ah, hello, Mister…?"

"De Laguna. But you may call me Giorgio."

She grinned. "So, should that be a _Signor_, Giorgio?" She asked, quite flattered at this European's interest in her.

"Well, only among friends." He replied, smiling. His teeth were small and straight, save for his canines, which narrowing into two alarmingly sharp points. "Please, allow me a dance?" He asked, offering a hand.

Tea's blush deepened. "Oh, well, I suppose… I mean, I don't know if I should… Seto is, well… I just wondered…" She trailed off as his finger touched her lips.

"I am sure your escort won't mind. After all, he surely won't want you getting bored by all this talk of business." His hand enveloped hers, and she allowed herself to be pulled to the dance floor.

It seemed they started a trend, for soon they were joined by other couples in a slow waltz.

From the other side of the hall, Joey groaned and slapped his forehead. "What the hell is she doing?!"

As he pulled away his hand, a familiar face caught his eye. He froze for a second, and then, in a confused whisper, spoke.

"Yugi?"

* * *

Ah yes! Another cliff-hanger, and for that I am sorry! But I really wanted to post and I'm not sure when I'll get the time seeing as we're off to the coast for 5 days as of tomorrow. These little coast trips seem to be a pain in the bum fic-wise, but as always, I promise to return to the fic when I get back! 


	12. Plans on Paper

Chapter TWELVE!!! This is starting to get insane, but lots of FUFUNFUN!!

And as far as you lovely readers/reviewers go, I officially dedicate this fic to you. Because, frankly, without you, I wouldn't have got this far. I am not a commitment kinda person, and you fantabulous bunch have really given me the kick up the bum i needed to get this done. I know i say this every update, but that's just cause its so TRUEEE!!

Anyway, on with the show!!

**Disclaimer:** NAY-YUGIOH-TIS-NOT-MINE-SHOW!

* * *

As Tea was spun by her partner, she caught Seto's eye, and he frowned, excusing himself from his conversation and making his way to the dance floor. As Tea and her partner passed him, she gracefully spun out of place and came to stand at his side. 

"Everything okay?" She asked, her partner standing by her. "Oh, I'm sure you two have met… er… was it Giorgio? Signor Giorgio De Laguna."

He smiled at her, his arm now wrapped around her waist. "That is correct, Señorita." Then he looked towards Seto, a gleam of malicious recognition in his eyes. "I am sorry Mister Kaiba. I perhaps stole your date for a moment too long." He released Tea and she stood confidently at Seto's side, her polite smile fading slightly at Seto's icy behaviour.

"Perhaps." Agreed Seto, his hand lightly on Tea's elbow.

"Forgive me, then. But… perhaps I may steal her again later this evening?"

"We shall see." Seto replied, stony as ever. The man bowed and retreated, accepting defeat for the time being. Once out of earshot, the CEO turned to the younger girl. "Be more careful who you accept dances from." He said quietly. "And stay close to me from now on."

She frowned. "You don't like him?"

"We're… associates. We have a business deal in motion." Seto lied, his eyes now no longer on hers. There was no mistaking the false friendliness and dark complexion of Tea's date. Blake Draschet was most certainly in the building.

---

Tristan followed Joey's line of sight to the tuft of spiky hair on the opposite side of the hall. Before he could open his mouth, Joey was vaulting between tables, making a beeline for his friend. He didn't notice Seto sweep Tea out of his path, such was his intent focused on reaching his friend. The teenager skirted the dance floor and weaved through more of the tables until he finally reached his friend, slapping a hand on his friend's shoulder and grinning at the seventeen year old, who was also dressed in a tuxedo.

"Joey?" Yugi's face lit up. "Ha!" He basked in a moment of savage pleasure. Watching Draschet waltz Tea around the floor was more than he could stomach, knowing the downright sickening torture lined up for his friend. His friend. He had harboured feelings for Téa that were more than friendly for years now. "Quick! You gotta warn Téa! This whole thing's a set up! Kaiba's got a deal with Draschet, and he trading Téa for the destruction of my millennium puzzle!"

Tristan and Mai joined them just as Yugi was trying to explain, drowning him out with their greeting. "Yugi!" Tristan exclaimed, taking in the handcuffs which kept Yugi in his chair. "Let me get that for you, pal." He said, turning to Mai. "Hey, gimme one of those hairpins, Mai. I'll get Yugi outta there."

Mai obediently pulled out one of her pins and handed it Tristan, more strands of hair falling out of place and across her face. "We are so going to bathroom when you're done. I bet I look like a right idiot."

Joey turned to her and winked. "Actually, its kinda wild." He said, jokingly. She hit him with her purse.

"What were you saying, Yugi?" She asked.

The teenager looked distressed. "It's a set up!" He said quickly, as the lock of his handcuffs gave a soft _click_ and opened.

"Nothing is a set up, Yugi. What on earth are you talking about?" A calm voice interrupted the teen's explanation. Blake Draschet stood over the four of them, and, careful to keep his back to the festivities behind him, produced a small hand pistol from his jacket pocket. He aimed it directly at Mai.

Joey froze. "Don't shoot." He said, standing up, his palms raised slightly in submission.

Draschet smirked. "I knew you'd see it my way."

Tristan frowned. "What do you want?" He asked, taking no effort to disguise the dislike in his tone of voice.

His enemy's unnerving smile never left his face. He indicated Joey and Tristan. "All I want you two to do is take a seat outside for a moment. There's a bench opposite the building, a nice quiet spot where you can't make contact with Tea Gardener. Some friends of mine will escort you." He reached forwards and grasped Mai's wrist. "And you'll wait for me there if you want her alive."

Joey's eyes darted between Draschet and Mai. The former flipped the safety catch off his gun, and added a silencer, making sure his actions were seen only by the four in front of him. Joey moved. "I'll be back for you." He said as he passed Mai, Tristan following in his wake. Draschet pulled a cell phone from his pocket in the manner of someone who was answering a call and activated a speed dial number.

"Wheeler and Taylor. East wing. _Now._"

The building's security guards immediately made their way towards the two boys and grasped them firmly under their arms, forcibly removing them from the building. Several heads turned their way, Yugi groaned inwardly. It seemed Draschet had taken the time to ensure that his men had infiltrated the ranks of the City Hall security. Just what they needed.

The tyrant turned to his prey. "And now, Miss Valentine. I suppose you wouldn't have any influence on our gracious host. Well, that leaves you rather useless then, doesn't it? I honestly don't know why I bother giving out this false sense of hope. You're just another loose end that needs tying up." Blake took a seat opposite Mai, his back to the rest of the crowd and the nose of his gun pointing quite obviously at his captive's chest.

Mai shuddered. "I don't think so." She said confidently, taking the seat next to Yugi.

Draschet smiled silkily, although his eyes were harsh, and his face contorted by malice. "Oh, and why's that?"

Mai's hooded eyes gazed at him for a moment, and then she reached into her bag, pulling out a small gold pyramid. "Because I have this."

---

Tea sighed, resigning herself to another long and boring conversation that surely stretched ahead of her. It may be safe at Seto's side, but it sure wasn't a party. In fact, it was because she was so engrossed in her own boredom that Seto caught sight of Draschet and his company before Tea did.

He smiled briefly and gently pulled Tea to one side, making a swift end to his current conversation and forestalling the suited man that was approaching him. "Sorry, Wilkinson. Your offer will have to wait just a few moments. I was just about to ask my escort to dance."

Much to her delight Seto swept her onto the dance floor. The live band that had now occupied the stage had been playing a lounge room jazz piece but their song concluded, to Seto's annoyance, just as he reached the floor. No matter, though, for the band promptly started a much more lively number, a Latin or Flamenco tune which mixed nicely with a hint of a reggae beat.

Tea took her place, her left hand resting lightly on his shoulder and her right embraced in his. He smiled. "I hope you're as good as they say." He said quietly. "I'd hate to show you up."

She grinned, her eyes sparkling with the challenge. "You should be worried, Seto. I received admission to Julliard last month. If I were you, I'd be shaking in my boots."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Well then stop talking about it and prove me wrong!" He announced, marching her sideways and twirling her out of his grasp and pulling her back again. She handled it gracefully, her steps quick and small and precise.

She didn't notice her friends gathered in a tense circle with her last dance partner.

---

As predicted, Joey was not one to simply _wait_ outside while the one girl he'd spent an accumulative years of his life fighting for sat inside in the company of a madman. Oh, and he also had a best friend who was in exactly the same position, which only added to the reasons he get off his backside and do something about it.

Of course, in his current position between two very surly henchmen, he had little opportunity to put a plan of any sort into action. Like Tristan, who had his arms pulled firmly and uncomfortably behind his back, Joey was frogmarched not to a bench in front of the building as Draschet had insisted, but rather into the car park of the venue.

And Joey had seen far too many Western films not to know that a night time trip to a car park while in the company of very beefy henchmen was not an indication of a rewarding heart to heart chat. Someone was going home in a lot of pain- if they went home at all.

---

"Mai Valentine, I strongly advise you to hand that over to me." Draschet said quietly.

Yugi watched Mai carefully, reaching out with his mind to the Pharaoh. Slowly, gently, gradually, warmth enveloped him and he spoke out silently to the puzzle.

"Pharaoh?" He asked timidly.

"Yugi! Don't make contact with me! Draschet doesn't know exactly how, but he's acutely aware of our connection."

"I know. That's why he keeps asking me to talk to you."

"No, you don't understand. He knows we're talking right now! You must ignore me! Don't you see? He has the power to intercept our conversation and contend with me for a position in the puzzle!"

Yugi blinked, his gaze flickering towards Blake for the shortest of moments. The man was staring, entranced by the puzzle in Mai's hand. She seemed to notice his fascination, and she withdrew immediately, severing the connection Yugi had just made. The teenager hardly noticed, so caught up in the implications of the Pharaoh's words.

Draschet could do _what_?

---

Joey felt the first blow with alarming clarity as it smashed through his jaw. He clenched his teeth, spitting at the henchman in front of him. "That's hardly fair." He said with contempt. "It's bad manners to hold your opponent down and take a free hit. Fight me like a man, you coward."

The security guard gave a toothy grin, revealing a set of teeth riddled with fillings. "And what advantage would I get from that?" He asked. "It's much more efficient this way. 'Sides the Boss'll be out in a sec- and he wants you two in no position to fight back, capice?"

Joey threw a sideways glance towards Tristan, who nodded at him. They mutely counted to three, and then simultaneously rammed their elbows into the ribs of the men holding them, darting out of reach and throwing the first punches of what was to become a very fiery fist fight.

---

He was everything a male dance partner should be. He was firm and commanding, effortlessly taking the lead while giving her the freedom to incorporate her own flourishes- and she was the feisty mistress who refused to back down. Their performance was more like a battle of wills that a synchronised dance.

Seto's hands slipped around her waist, and she felt him step closer to her, his chest now firmly pressed against her back. Tea held her arm out to the side, and he followed the curve of it outwards. Her hips swayed once and she spun out of his grasp, her small steps weightless on the floor. Their feet tapped in unison and they froze as the drum kit hit an offbeat, and then Seto swung her back towards him where she landed with a hand placed tenderly on his chest. He was teasing her, she knew, and she wasn't going to sit tight and ignore it. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed against him, the folds of her dress parting slightly. Her eyes locked onto his as if daring him to break her stare and glance downwards, where he would surely be able to see straight down the front of her dress. But his eyes remained on hers, and his chin was set firmly upwards, and he gave a playful smile.

"Behave, Tea. We're at a business function." He murmured as they moved together.

Tea's heels twisted around each other as Seto marched her backwards towards the centre of the floor. The hand on her waist suddenly pulled her towards him, and Tea covered her surprise by throwing a leg around her partner's waist. He grasped her calf just below her knee and dragged her sideways, dropping her at the last minute. Tea fell to a crouch, weaving her way upwards with a twist of her body.

"And here I thought you had no skill." Tea replied quietly as she rose from the floor.

Kaiba cupped her hand in his and placed it on his shoulder. "Tell me, Tea. How high can you jump?"

And without any warning, he lifted her easily from the floor and over his shoulder. Her legs fell naturally into the splits as she was flipped over him. Suddenly the choice of short-like underwear made sense. She landed behind him, placed a hand on the shoulder she had just breached and spun him around to face her. His face was awfully close.

"Impressive." He noted.

She grinned and they stepped apart, heads flicking to the right. They stepped together once more and Seto twirled her into a pirouette. After three turns he placed a hand behind her back and she obligingly fell onto him, her back arching gracefully and her finger tips sweeping the floor for a second before the CEO lifted her to her feet to continue their passionate flamenco.

---

Mai smirked, catching sight of Tea's crimson dress from the corner of her eye.

"Somehow, honey, I think you're plan's failing." She said, keeping very tight grip on the millennium puzzle in her lap.

Draschet scowled at her from across, his back to his business partner and victim. Unable to see the zealous routine behind him, he incorrectly guessed that Mai's words referred to her possession of the puzzle. "Oh really?" He asked, his voice dangerously thin. "Might I remind you that currently I am the one holding the weapon? Simply put, Miss Valentine, you hand me the puzzle and I spare your life. Option two, you die and I wrench the damn thing from the icy grip of your dead hands. Either way, I get my puzzle, I get Tea, I get Yugi's cooperation, I get the Pharaoh's position of power- in chronological order. So, _honey_, which way do you plan to go?"

Mai frowned deeply, slipping her high heeled shoes from her feet. She weighed up her options. Joey and Tristan were outside, undoubtedly involved in a punch up of some kind. Yugi was sat next to her, but he didn't provide much cover- she was the first target if Draschet decided to shoot anyone. Tea was on the dance floor, blissfully ignorant of their predicament- and despite his obvious interest in the girl, Seto would surely choose to join Draschet's ranks, only to worsen Mai's circumstances. As she saw it, the only way to ensure that Draschet didn't get his hands on the puzzle, was to forcibly remove it from his presence- and keep it that way. Which meant that if she were to succeed, she'd need to run fast.

"Well, I _don't_ plan on going down without a fight, that's for sure." She said- and with those words, she pushed her seat backwards and attempted to stand.

She was stopped half way by a gunshot.

---

As the horns of the band hit their final note, Tea took a short step away from her partner, and on the last beat of the song threw herself forwards onto Seto, her left leg thrown out on a diagonal with his, the tip of her toe an inch away from the floor. Her right leg wrapped around his waist, her dress falling back to reveal a hint of her rouge underwear, and allowing his gentle hand placed upon her thigh to hold her firmly upright. One hand was placed gently upon his left shoulder, and her right arm reached around his neck and her fingers delved into his hair, holding him in a tight embrace. Her head was buried between his neck and shoulder, turned towards him so that her face was hidden. Seto let his chin drop so that his cheek was lightly touching her neck. She was wearing perfume, he noticed- a cool fresh fragrance that made his body tense in warm anticipation.

And that's when he knew it. When she was draped over him, submissive and innocent- trusting him at last- her scent enveloping his senses, her breath on his shoulder so tantalisingly soft; he knew he wouldn't have the strength of will to hand her over to Draschet.

Silence ruled for a split second, and the two teenagers stayed perfectly still as their now expansive audience erupted in applause. Tea released a breath she had been holding, her chest now rising and falling rapidly against Seto's. He released her, and she fell elegantly onto her feet, taking small bow. He did the same, and then guided her from the dance floor, her hand ever so lightly balanced on his own.

And then she heard the shot.

---

Outside, Joey registered the sound of gunfire, and the blaring alarm that followed. Guests evacuated the building immediately, and Joey's mind went into overdrive. One mantra pounded his skull repeatedly. _Was Mai alright?_ He strained his ears to make sense of the babble of chatter from the escapees, but it was all meaningless noise- until he heard the words that made his very heart freeze up with dread.

"… Blonde woman, yes. I saw her fall from corner of my eye! Very pretty girl- surprised she was in with our lot to be honest…"

Joey barely heard the threat before the fist collided with his jaw. On the second blow, however, Tristan managed to break free of his opponent and take the hit in his bicep. He slapped Joey on the back, concern in his eyes.

"C'mon, mate, snap outta it! You gotta job to do!"

He dragged Joey back towards the fight, where his blonde friend grasped his opponent, head-butted him spectacularly, and then ran from the scene, straight towards City Hall.

* * *

Ah TENSE! I am truly sorry to leave this at a cliff-hanger- in my outline I didn't plan on it, and I've been madly trying to find a way to cut it differently… but I've started writing the next part and it gets pretty hectic from hereon in and there isn't really a good place to cut the action without belittling this section- and if I ended the chapter short I'd have felt meanie for not giving you as much of an update seeing as I've been away for so long! 

Anyway, just this once, I will accept flames (god knows I deserve 'em) but not enough to start a bushfire, mkay?


	13. Plans in Action

Chapter THIRTEEN! 

It's amazing. And they say this is the unlucky one! So I'd better pay extra attention to detail on this one! Oh, and some coarse language in this chap… those witches….

Also, folks. I am terribly sorry for the delay in updates. Thing is, in my mind, everything happens pretty much instantaneously, but as reading an event, and putting all the thoughts, hesitations and split second action that basically makes up most of the cause/effect stuff in this chapter takes up way more time, it sort of feels as though there are gaps in time. So I tried to fix it, and well, it's not perfect, but here's the best I could do.

(I apologise for the crap timing on this indecision. )

* * *

Mai lay perfectly still. She didn't dare breathe or blink. The shot had caught her collarbone- she had been anticipating the blow but hadn't moved fast enough to save herself completely. She had made an effort to land face down, so as to conceal the real location of her wound, but she did nothing to staunch the flow of blood the spread from beneath her. She could hear the sound of Yugi retching from the other side of the table, and bit her tongue to stop herself from wincing or leaping to the teenager's aid as Draschet hit him forcefully over the head with the butt of the gun. She could help him later, when the element of surprise was on her side… provided she hadn't lost too much blood by then.

Draschet walked briskly over to her, and she held her breath. He removed the puzzle from her clutches- she didn't resist- and thankfully, let her lie in peace.

---

Tea's head whipped around and she took in the scene at once, through the wave of fleeing businesspeople. Giorgio was standing over- she squinted and weaved around the people to clear her view- over _Yugi_, and that was Mai on the floor! Her eyes widened, and she sprinted forwards, vaulting the nearest table as Draschet raised his fist and brought his weapon down on Yugi's head.

She ploughed into Giorgio, who she realised wasn't Giorgio at all- but the evil son of a bitch that had caused her so much worry in the last week- taking him to the floor in a full scale body tackle. In moments, she was joined by Seto, who bodily picked her off the floor, and pulled her behind him. She twisted her hand out of his.

"You said he didn't have an invite." She said angrily, taking a step away from him and towards Mai's unmoving form, where Yugi was crouched, the palm of his hand pressed to his forehead, murmuring soft prayers. "And you didn't tell me who I was dancing with."

Seto kept his eyes firmly on Draschet, pausing for a good three seconds before answering. "I didn't want to alarm you." He said finally, knowing it was a feeble excuse that she wouldn't accept.

The man in question twitched and sat upright, the malicious smirk on his face once more. "Is that so, Mr Kaiba? I was under the impression that it was your intention to strike with stealth."

Tea looked from one to the other, a look of confusion plastered on her face.

---

Mai felt her breathing getting shorter, and judging from the tendrils of darkness that were creeping into her vision, she was going to pass out soon. Yugi was by her side. She didn't dare risk moving, but perhaps now that his hand was on her shoulder, she could react. She moved her shoulder, ever so slowly. Yugi's hand left her. She cursed mentally.

The darkness clouded her vision. If only they'd clear off, she could get up and staunch her blood flow.

---

Draschet nodded towards Tea. "Yes, my pretty. Had it not occurred to you why dearest Seto has extended his hospitality for so long? My dear, he's a busy man with no time for ignorant teenager girls such as yourself. His bargain is with me, not you."

Tea glared knives at Draschet. "Bullshit." She declared confidently- much more confidently that she felt, drawing herself up to full height. "You torture my friends, you send your ninja men after me- you _shoot_ Mai- and you expect me to believe you now?" She looked towards Seto, who, to her annoyance- and trepidation- wouldn't meet her eye. "Seto has stood by me through all your crap and no ten minute quick-fix story is going to change that." She spat.

Yugi picked himself off the floor to clasp Tea's hand, blinking back the moisture in his eyes. "No, Tea. Draschet is right. He recorded their meeting and played it to me." Yugi lowered his eyes, his voice barely a whisper.

Draschet smirked. "So then, Seto. Hand me the girl, and I'll destroy your competition."

Seto looked from Tea to Yugi and back to Draschet. He smirked. "While it may be true that you and I had a deal, recent… events have prompted a change of heart on my part. Tea will not be leaving my company tonight." He held out his hand towards Tea, who stayed firmly put with Yugi, still hesitant. She was about to speak, when another voice joined the group.

"Seto! What's happening over here?" Mokuba's voice distracted the tense conversation unfolding at possibly the worst moment possible.

Seto knew immediately from the look of manic joy in Draschet's mahogany eyes what was going through the bastard's mind- and although he moved to intercept his opponent, he hesitated for a moment, unwilling to leave Tea. He realised his mistake too late, and angrily threw Tea from him, freezing as Draschet's gun suddenly found a position on the side of Mokuba's head.

They froze, stuck in a stalemate. Seto moved back towards Tea, helping her upright, and holding her arm tightly. Draschet kept a harsh grip on Mokuba and the gun pressed firmly into the younger Kaiba's mop of hair.

"So what's it to be, Kaiba?" Draschet asked, looking from one teen to the other. "Your brother or your girlfriend? But know this. I don't take betrayal lightly. Either way, one of them will end up dead."

Seto looked towards Tea, his face set in an expression she had never seen before. The determination was familiar, and she had seen his mouth set in the same grim lines before, but something in his eyes was different this time. He had the look of someone formulating a plan, running swift calculations in his mind. And then, suddenly his face changed imperceptibly, and she knew he was asking her if she was ready. A silent message asking her to prepare herself to put that self defence training into practise. She nodded, leaning forwards to kiss him briefly, taking the time to put some acting into their predicament. Draschet was good, but he couldn't read Seto like she could. Seto's eyes closed, and she could tell by the hunger in their brief embrace that he was reluctant to let her go. She left his side slowly, her eyes evenly on Draschet and his gun. He lowered the weapon as she approached, but it was only to turn it onto her.

Tea scowled at him, but dutifully took her place at Draschet's arm, bile rising in the back of her throat as she felt the metal press against her temple. Suddenly, she doubted her ability to duck down, swing under his arm, bring her hand under his elbow, snap his arm around, snatch his gun in his moment of weakness and wield it against him. It all seemed much more risky in real life.

She looked towards Seto, whose eyes now swam with outright fear. Draschet had not yet released Mokuba from his headlock, and now the gun was pointing at Tea's head. Not only that, but he could sense her nerves- not the most comforting sign in the situation.

_It's a dance, Tea. Think of it as a dance. Just duck, swing, slide, twist, catch and then you're in control._

She took a deep breath.

And ducked.

---

Things happened very quickly from then on.

Tea was interrupted by Joey sprinting towards the group. He slammed into Seto Kaiba, grabbing his lapels and pushing him firmly to the floor.

"Where's the gun?" He snarled, looking up to the cluster of figures around the table he had just left.

Yugi pulled out Mai's mobile phone, having finally found it in the depths of Mai's handbag. He dialled the emergency services and immediately summoned medical help.

Draschet took Seto's brief moment of weakness to slam the butt of his gun into Mokuba's head, knocking the child out cold. He grabbed Tea's arm and pulled her roughly towards Yugi. He took a moment to violently punch the teen in the face to discourage any form of rebellion and pulled him away from Mai, failing to notice the mobile phone that fell from Yugi's hand. He dragged the two towards the exit, now in possession of everything he needed.

Seto pushed the younger male off roughly. "Same place as Tea." He said, getting to his feet. He darted over to his brother, put a hand to his forehead and gulped.

Seto turned around to face Wheeler.

For the young adult, time had stopped. He fell to his knees. He brushed a curl of hair away from Mai's face; he rolled her over, saw the collarbone wound, and pressed an ear to her chest, fighting back any desire to express ill-timed despair or joy… And there it was! The faintest hint of a heart beat!

"It's there!" He gasped, galvanising Seto into action. The billionaire picked up Mokuba and laid him next to Mai.

"Wheeler. I know we've never seen eye to eye. But I need to ask you a favour."

Joey looked up at Seto, shocked by the fact he hadn't been insulted yet. "Yeeeeah?"

"I need you to keep an eye on Mokuba. Call them an ambulance. Get help. I'll chase Draschet."

Something about the urgency in Seto's voice told Joey to be quick about an answer. And though Joey was determined to see Yugi get out of this mess, he knew he couldn't ask Seto to stay and leave Mai in his company.

"Sure thing." He said, having no other option available.

He nearly had a heart attack when Seto clapped him on the shoulder in an expression of gratitude.

---

Draschet stashed the gun and barged through the doors, making an impressive exit to the crowd of people who were gathered in the foyer, anxiously waiting on news from inside.

"Are you okay?" He said loudly to Tea, his thick accent back all of a sudden, his hand suddenly caressing hers in a firm grip. "Come, I'll take you home. A beautiful woman such as yourself should not have to witness such barbaric events!" He proclaimed loudly, smiling winningly towards the crowd as they parted to let him through.

Tea was about to protest, but they were bombarded with questions- not all of them on the evacuation.

"Are you hired?" Came a voice over the crowd, which brought a scowl to the girl's already grim face.

She bit back a smart retort, and before she could cry out for help, Draschet was sprinting towards the car park and stopping at what was, quite frankly, one of the most powerful looking motorcycles Tea had ever seen. Draschet positioned himself over the bike and produced the gun again to ensure that Yugi and Tea took their positions on the bike. Tea was small enough to fit between the two men, sandwiched uncomfortably.

She bit her lip. She had been on the back of Tristan's bike once.

It had been fast. Very fast.

---

Seto stopped outside the building, looking towards the road that ran perpendicular to the hall. A scream of rubber on concrete told the nineteen year old that Draschet had left. He began running towards the car park when a voice called his name.

"Kaiba! You're gonna need a ride if you're going after Draschet."

Another tuxedo-wearing kid was running up to him. He sported a broken nose and a toothy grin, and Seto recognised him as Tristan, one of Yugi's groupies. "Got anything, Einstein?" He asked, his eyes darting around the area for a vehicle in which to give chase.

"Well, I have a bike." Tristan said, shrugging. "If you can ride."

Seto gave him a harsh glare. "Of course I can ride." He hissed.

---

The CEO swerved around the next corner. He had taken Tristan's bike and the younger adult had run inside to assist Joey with the victims, promising to meet him at Draschet's hideout once the casualties had been taken care of.

Draschet's bike was close now, Seto could tell. The sound of the engine was louder, and occasionally he thought he caught glimpses of the red glow thrown out by the tail lights of the vehicle. He pushed the accelerator harder, knowing full well that if a car- or pedestrian- got in his way now, they'd both be killed on impact.

But fortune was on Seto's side, and the streets remained empty, and it seemed Draschet was in no mood to risk his life so recklessly. Although he exceeded the speed limit, he kept his engine revving at a steady ninety five kph.

The motorcyclists chased their way to the outskirts of Domino city, and finally, after Draschet had wound his way in a loop and taken a short cut, Seto found himself at a T-junction, unsure of his enemy's direction.

He slammed a fist onto his handlebars. To his left was Domino City, the way he had just come, and to his right, Domino Docklands. He knew Draschet was travelling fast, but he somewhat doubted that the mastermind would lead him this far astray only to turn back into the city. Well, even if he had, there were infinite places he could go back in Domino- plenty of apartment blocks and alleyways- and Tea could be dead before Seto found the right one. Had Seto been the one running away, he would have turned towards the city. 

He looked right. The docklands were simpler. If Draschet had gone right, he was undoubtedly in one of the five warehouses that made up the Docks. That narrowed Seto's choices considerably. But if he chose the docklands and was wrong, he would have wasted a good forty-five minutes before he returned to this point at best.

Seto revved his engine. He had little time to make a decision- and that decision hung on Seto's ability to think like Draschet.

He threw caution to the wind. And turned left.

* * *

I am sorry for the delay. I was banned from internet the last few weeks, and then we were away for Australia day and THEN school started again and things have just been CHOCKA BLOCK!

So I promise to get onto this, although you can expect updates to take much longer now that I'm back. Yargh! I am dreadfully sorry. Unfortunately, you see, although I have things planned out, I needed to revise said plans, and then got a bit of writers block on actually bringing those basic outlines to life. You may be pleased to note though that I do now know what is going on. Hurrah!


	14. A Change of Scene

RIGHTOH. Fourteen? Fourteen. Excellent.

**Disclaimer:** Yugioh is NOT mine.

I'll get onto it then!

* * *

The ambulance arrived shortly after Mokuba awoke. Tristan had run into the hall, immediately taken in the sight of Joey frantically trying to staunch the flow of blood from underneath Mai's collarbone, and Mokuba's unconscious form next to the pair, and had stumbled to a halt next to them, grabbed the nearest glass of water and emptied it onto the young Kaiba.

Mokuba had blinked twice, put a hand to the side of his head, and after being helped upright by Tristan, laid eyes on Mai.

That put the bounce back into his step. "Joey! Tristan- Mai! What happened?! Where's Seto?"

Joey looked uncertainly towards the fifteen year old, and then towards Tristan, sending his friend a silent plea for salvation.

Tristan's face was harshly set. "I'm going to find your brother. He's gone chasing Draschet- and he has no idea where he's going." He looked towards Joey. "That okay, mate?"

Joey waved him off. "Go! Kaiba's probably lost by now. Take your bike- you'll be faster."

Tristan didn't have the heart to tell Joey his bike was gone.

---

He raced outside, where paramedics and police were already assembled. Tristan kept up a steady pace towards a police motorbike which was unoccupied. Without breaking his stride, he leapt on the bike and revved off, leaving a mob of bemused and frustrated officers of the law in his wake. Regardless of speed limits, Tristan cruised his way along the streets of Domino city, heading immediately for the docks.

He had almost reached the outskirts of town when a single headlight appeared on the horizon. Unsure of the owner of the bike, Tristan slowed down- chances were either way he'd have to turn around.

The bike drew closer, and Tristan could make out the faint outlines of coat tails.

"Oi, Kaiba!" He yelled, stopping his bike and holding his arm out. The light in front slowed down, and Seto Kaiba drew up.

"Which way, punk?" He snarled.

"Docks." Tristan replied evenly, ignoring Kaiba's tone of voice and instead revving his engine. "Follow the leader." He swerved off, and Seto followed in a smooth U-turn, heading back the way he'd just come.

Seto prided himself on self control, but he had not experienced such a mix of anxiety and frustration in a long time. He rarely made mistakes- and what irked him about this one was that not only had he lost valuable time- not only had he endangered the one girl he'd ever felt truly close to- but, as immature and selfish as it seemed, Draschet had denied him the adrenaline rush that came with facing a seemingly impossible task. Seto had taken the hard road, almost out of force of habit, and be rewarded with a dead end and an irritatingly easier route.

Although, he mused, as Tristan forced the police bike to its limits and he too increased speed, perhaps Draschet had intended for Seto to take the route he did- it certainly bought the bugger some time. Seto scowled. He'd just done exactly what his enemy hoped he would.

That thought did not heighten his spirits.

---

Draschet didn't slow the bike as he swerved into the docklands. He raced between the warehouses, taking every risk to prevent Seto from staying on their trail. Behind him, Tea's arms were wrapped around his torso as she clung for dear life onto her captor. Somewhere behind her, he presumed, Yugi was doing the same.

Ironic, he mused, that despite the hatred between his victims and himself, they would still rather cling to him for a chance at life rather than allow themselves to be swept off the vehicle and killed on the roads.

That kind of control was true power.

The bike skidded to a halt outside the smallest of the warehouses. Despite its relative size, it still stretched a good fifty metres in width and at least double in length. As with all the Domino cargo holdings, it was decorated only by various boxes, skips and crates, stacked against walls, built into piles or simply strew around the floor in an amateur attempt at organisation.

Tea was pulled roughly from the bike, and found, to her dismay that her knees were so unusually weak that she had to grasp the wall for support. Yugi slid off behind her, and graciously offered his arm, as always playing the gentleman.

Something about watching two hapless victims walk towards their demise in such a pose struck a chord with Draschet. He was intrigued by their obstinate determination- their refusal to back down against the odds, but it would be over soon.

They would be seated. Her life threatened. The knife produced. A cautionary wound. Co-operation. Death- of Yugi and of Tea. The Pharaoh would contend. He would be defeated.

And then, finally, Power.

---

Tristan's stolen bike weaved around another corner, and by now Seto was confident enough in their destination to ride alongside the dweeb. It didn't occur to him how unusual it was to be riding, of all people, Tristan's motorcycle, and to have the idiot steal a police bike to replace his own, and then to ride with the CEO in order to save a mutual friend with whom Seto was indisputably in love.

Yes, at that present moment, Seto's life was a very different playing field.

They swerved into the docklands, and Tristan promptly pulled his bike to a standstill, looking around at the array of warehouses, jetties, steam liners and cargo crates. Seto pulled in beside him, balancing on his bike and staying silent, listening intently.

He heard a feminine yelp from his left, and wasted no more time making decisions. The bike revved once, and Seto left Tristan behind, already speeding past the second warehouse, and heading to where he was convinced the sound had come from.

He paused, killed the engine and listened again. Nothing.

He dismounted, and flung his jacket to the floor. His footsteps were quick and light on the concrete- for a man with such presence he could move exceedingly quietly.

His ear found the cold corrugated iron of the warehouse wall and he waited for sound. At first, he was greeted with silence, and then the sound of footsteps echoed from somewhere nearby. He strained to hear more, rapidly translating the slow beat of the stride into co-ordinates in his mind. He was sure they were coming closer… perhaps to his right- from the side of the adjacent wall- the direction to which his back was facing.

And then there was a crunch of gravel.

Seto blinked once, and then adrenaline spiked in his stomach. He had been listening not with the ear pressed to the warehouse, but with his other ear-

-which meant either Tristan or an enemy was just around the corner, and Tristan would have no need for a slow approach.

Seto turned slowly, and let his eyes flick towards the source of the noise.

"GO!"

Five henchmen appeared in his vision- one from the roof above him, two from a nearby Jetty, one from his far left and the fifth from around the corner to his right.

He took the bloke on the corner first, darting forwards and breaking his assailant's jaw with a sharp jab of the elbow. He was pulled roughly into a headlock by a second man, and he received a blow to the nose, eye and shoulder before he managed to twist around, head butt his captor and issue a kick to his stomach. The henchman slammed into the concrete, dazed for a moment, but not out for the count.

Seto had no time to finish the job, however, as more men arrived on the scene. Evidently someone had called for backup. At the moment, Seto's only chance was to get inside one of the warehouses and pray it was the right one.

His right arm flashed out and another opponent was sent flying. He backed up slowly, keeping his way clear with swift one-two's and several powerful uppercuts. If he could get his back to the wall, it would only be a matter of time before he skirted his way around to the door.

And where the hell was Tristan?!

---

As a matter of fact, Tristan had some problems of his own. He had found Seto's deserted bike and was in the process of tracking down the CEO when he observed a man clad in black cargos and a tight tank top dart over to a nearby warehouse and begin a steady ascent on the metal rungs nailed to the side. He was carrying a sniper rifle.

Tristan scowled. He didn't put it past Draschet to have organised some form of assassination for any followers, and after seeing a sniper, frankly, the idea of being caught out in the open didn't appeal. The eighteen year old ran forwards, careful to keep out of sight of the climbing gunman, and waited in the shadows of a cargo crate for the man to finish his ascent. Then, he leapt for the rungs and followed.

Seto was still out there, and wouldn't be any good to Tea or Yugi dead.

---

Joey didn't leave Mai's side in the ambulance. Paramedics surrounded her, testing her blood type and radioing ahead. The teenager clasped her hand tightly, watching every procedure with intense concern, as if he was waiting for someone to screw up so that he could intervene. Not that he knew what they were doing, but he was learning quickly from their sharp orders and actions.

Mokuba sat on the other side of the ambulance in subdued silence. He couldn't even begin to imagine being in Joey's position and having Seto lie unconscious next to him. The child shuddered. Better not to think of that. Better to concentrate on getting Mai in the green zone and then he and Joey could help save Yugi and Tea.

He sincerely hoped they were both still alive.

---

Draschet glowered at Yugi. "You see?" He indicated Tea, who's shoulder was an open knife wound. "I don't lie."

Yugi glared at Draschet. "Don't you _dare_ touch her!" He spat, thrashing once more against his bonds to no avail.

"All you have to do to save her is obey me." The elder replied, snaking his way around Tea's chair.

Tea squirmed forwards in her seat. "Don't let him-!" She was cut off as the knife grazed her cheek. She screamed, but Draschet cut that off too.

"Silence!" He roared, slapping her around the face.

She complied without further dispute.

Draschet leaned in close and brought the knife to her throat. "Now, not another word from you. Yugi and I are having an adult conversation." He turned his head towards Yugi. "Now. I will ask you one final time. Will you agree to allow me an audience with the Pharaoh?"

Yugi looked towards Tea. Her eyes were wide with fear, but when she caught his glance, she closed them, took a slow steady breath, and opened them again. They were despairing now. Her breathing was shaky and she fought back tears. She had resigned herself to death. She met Yugi's eyes. _Don't_, she mouthed.

He felt his heart skip a beat. Tea had lost faith.

"I'll do it." He said.

---

Tea felt the metal leave her throat and her relief filled her, coupled with an overpowering paradoxical sense of defeat and fatigue. She hung her head and attempted speech. It was only after several tries that she managed something other than small whimpering sobs.

"Yugi."

Her voice carried a mixture of fear and gratitude. Yugi met her eye and nodded, a mild expression of reassurance on his face.

Draschet produced the puzzle and put it on Yugi's lap. "Now. Bring forth the Pharaoh!"

Yugi looked at him. "I need to hold it." He said bluntly. He received a blow to the face for his efforts.

"I am no fool. You will not be released."

"I didn't ask to be." Yugi stated.

There was a thin silence. And then Draschet removed the puzzle from Yugi's lap. He moved to the other side of Yugi's chair and pushed the pyramid into the teenager's hand.

Yugi felt the familiar surge of warmth as his mind was filled with the Pharaoh's presence. He allowed himself a moment of comfort and then he spoke.

"Pharaoh! We've got to help Tea! She's-"

"I know."

"Pharaoh?"

"Yugi. I was mistaken. I should not have shut you out. Draschet is not your enemy, he is mine. It was wrong of me to-"

"Shuttup!" Yugi blurted, a little insensitively. The Pharaoh was taken aback. "It doesn't matter. We don't have time to throw apologies around!"

"I wasn't throwing-"

"I know. But I know everything before you say it anyway. Now let's concentrate on getting Tea outta here! We've also got to find Grandpa- and then we can face Draschet."

* * *

YAAAY! Another chapter DOWN. Whoo! Well, yes I am going terribly over my limit of ten chapters, but what the hey! Thankee to all of you who have kept up with this. My updates have become significantly less frequent what with the onslaught of school and internet bans and, the last few days, camp.

And a huge cheers to everyone who's reviewed so far. You guys make me smile. And then write in an attempt to return the favour.


End file.
